Full text of "The Islamic Conquest of Syria"

See other formats

The Islamic

The inspiring

al-Imam al-Waqidi

The Islamic Conquest
of Syria

A translation of Futuhusham: the inspiring history

of the Sahabah's & conquest of Syria as narrated

by the great historian of Islam,

al-Imam al-Waqidi

Translated by
Mawlana Sulayman al-Kindi

MAI

Kalamullah.Com

Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd.

Contents

Translator's Foreword v

Map : Middle East xiii

Map : Roman Syria xiv

Part 1 : Damascus 1

Part 2: Hims 151

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk 251

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas 373

Part 5: Antioch 457

Appendices 577

translator's foreword

Futuhusham is an Arabic book by al-Imam al-Waqidi describing the
Sahabah's & conquest of ash-Sham (which today includes Syria, Lebanon,
Palestine, Jordan and parts of Arabia, Iraq and Turkey). Having been
requested to translate this book into English, I accepted primarily to earn
Allah's pleasure from whatever good might arise from it and also to attain
two secondary goals.

Firstly, Rasulullah H said with regard to loving the Sahabah &, "Whoever
loves them, loves them because he te*es meT^G^-itinis book can be used to
inculcate the love of the Sahabah 4*> in the reader's heart, love for Rasulullah
iH is also increased. This subject needs no elaboration since 'Ulama have
extensively dealt with it.

However, the second goal of making Muslims realise the importance of
History needs more elaboration. Muslims are generally ignorant of their
history, thus developing an inferiority complex towards the West. This is, in
fact, a deliberate strategy by the West. In the past, great 'Ulama of all
mathahib have rendered service to the science of History. Ibn Khaldun al-
Maliki is globally recognised to be the father of the principles of studying
history. Ibn Jawzi al-Hambali noted, "A faqih has to have knowledge of other
sciences like history..." The Mufassir, Ibn Kathir ash-Shafi'i put great effort
in compiling his celebrated history book, 'Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah'.
Similarly al-Imam al-Bukhari also saw the need for studying and compiling
works on history. Today we feel qualified to dissect the works of these Ulama
and pick and choose what we want. Thus we will quote the Tafsir of Ibn
Kathir and the Hadith of al-Bukhari but never spare a glance at the Histories.
What authority do we have to decide that such-and-such a subject must be

Futuhushdm

preserved while other sciences of our ancestors should be thrown away?
Mawlana Abu al-Hasan 'Ali an-Nadwi was one of the greatest Hanafi 'Ulama
of our time and both 'Arabs and Indians acknowledge his status, but would
he have attained this status if he had not mastered History? Amongst his most •
popular compilations are Tarikhul-Islam (on the life of the Prophet S). An
important benefit of studying History is that it is necessary for the
preservation of Hadith. Thus the Muhaddith Ibn Hajr al-'Asqalani says in
Nukhbatul-Fikr, "Breaks in chains of narrators are discovered by knowing
that the narrators did not meet. There is therefore a need to know History."

Mawlana an-Nadwi narrates an example of the use of History to the 'alim -
the Jews produced a scroll of crumbling paper with writing in the old script.
It claimed that Rasulullah S had exempted the Khaybar Jews from payment
of Jizyah and was signed by Sa'd bin Mu'ath <&. 'Ulama unversed in History
gave fatwa that they should be exempted. Ibn Taymiyah however declared it
a fake based on his knowledge of History - Sa'd died before the Battle of
Khaybar so he could noiTTaTe~Sf*nKi the treaty!

Allah &| Himself makes use of History to remind us of His favours. For
example, Allah lists in the Quran various favours He bestowed upon Banu
Israel during their history.

If one considers the number of historical events mentioned in the Quran, one
will realise that for a clear understanding of Tafsir some knowledge of
History is essential. The same also applies to understanding Hadith.

It can also be inferred from the Quran that an important function of History
is for us to take lessons and rectify ourselves. Thus Allah often refers to past
events by way of warning, for example:

Foreword

Has the news of those before you not reached you - the nation
ofNuh 'Ad and Thamud? [9:69]

The Prophets also adopted this approach and reminded their people of the
past. Thus Shu'ayb 3SSI said to his people,

-u*o j«^sa^ -by ^y Uj ~A^ ^y y ^ ^y jl ^

my people! Let not my opposition cause you to suffer a fate

similar to that of the people of Hud, Nuh or Sdlih and the

people ofLut are not far off from you. [11:89]

The believer at Fir' awn's court also warned his people of past punishments,

And the Believer said, "O my people! Verily 1 Juar for you a

fate like that which befell the groups. Like thejbte of the

people of Niih, 'Ad, Thamud and those who came\0er

them..." [40:30] \

These verses amply demonstrate the admonitory nature History is supposed
to have on us, but unfortunately we rarely take heed ofijistory. x

One of the saddest events in the History of Islam is the loss of al-Andalus
[now Spain and Portugal]. This was an Islamic land with a majority Muslim
population. The Muslims were defeated and Islam banished until not a single
Muslim remained in the land. Five hundred masajid were converted into
churches. All the causes for al-Andalus's collapse can be found amongst us

Futuhushdm

today - laziness for Jihad; lack of inviting to Allah; the Muslim governments
not implementing Shari'ah; drinking of wine; Muslims helping Christian
armies against other Muslims etc. It is sad that we do not pay heed whereas
our enemies study these events. VT Rajashekar, the editor of Dalit Voice
noted, "Islam's ejection from Spain was a subject for keen study by the Hindu
extremists in the 30's and the Muslims in India are totally ignorant of the
History of Islamic decline in Spain and the events surrounding it." Will we
wake up before disaster hits us too?

It is commonly acknowledged that by pondering over the Creation,
recognition of the Creator is gained. Allah iSS says:

Verily in the creation of the Heavens and Earth and in the

alternating of night and day are signs for the ones of

intelligence... [3:190]

However, few "realise that Allah 3k is free from time and space restrictions
which are also creations. So time and its passage (i.e. History), if pondered
over, is also a means of gaining His recognition if we ponder over Allah's
planning. Allah & says,

0& jfy, (£*J\£j*4^ : <_/0^' JJ *L*-^' -^j_j? J*^ jt^

- * >'. i tf - -^' '.Tf -■'ji''
(JjJbu L«^» 4juai (_Ju I jojIi > a »

He regulates every affair from the Heavens to the Earth then it

goes up to Him in one day the length whereof is 1000 years of

your reckoning. [32:5]

Vlll

Foreword

One tafsir of this verse is that one thousand years before an event comes to
pass Allah && creates such things which eventually leads to its materialisation
one thousand years later. Thus an examination of such events will make one
realise that there is a Power higher than Man which controls events - that
there is one All-Powerful Creator, Allah.

Let us take half of one thousand years and examine how Allah used the tribe
of Khuza'ah for five centuries (525 years) to implement Rasulullah's S
conquest of Makkah

In 120 A.D., the impending bursting of the great Marib Dam led to the
dispersal of the Saba Nation of which three tribes (Aws, Khazraj and Banu
'Uthman) headed for Yathrib (now Madlnah). On the way, Banu 'Uthman
broke off from the other tribes and settled down in Marr azh-zhahran and
were hence named Khuza'ah (the seceders). Marr azh-zhahran was close to
Makkah so Khuza'ah were in a position to conquer the Holy City and rule
there for two hundred years. Qusayy, the chief of Quraysh, married Hubba
bint Hulayl, daughter of the chief of Khuza'ah, and conquered Makkah in
440 A.D. Their son, 'Abd Manaf, was the next chief and then, after him,
Hashim bin 'Abd Manaf. A man named Nawfal usurped Hashim's son,
'Abdul Muttalib, of his position and so Khuza'ah again entered Makkah's
history and entered into alliance with Banu Hashim in support of 'Abdul
Muttalib whom they regarded as the grandson of their son, 'Abd Manaf.

According to the Treaty of Hudaybiyah which Rasulullah S signed with the
Quraysh, each tribe could join the Muslims in alliance or they could i^ : /tfk
Quraysh. Lineage played a great role in 'Arab politics and since Khuza'ah
had close relations with Rasulullah ®, the grandson of 'Abdul Muttalib, and
were already allies of the tribe, Banu Hashim, Khuza'ah joined the Muslims
while their enemies, Banu Bakr, joined the Quraysh. In 8 Hijri, Banu Bakr
and Quraysh jointly attacked Khuza'ah thus breaking the treaty and so in a
process that led back 525 years, Khuza'ah joined Rasulullah ® to conquer
Makkah in Ramadan 8 Hijri. "And Allah is the best of planners!"

Sulayman al-Kindi (Translator)
21 Jumada al-Ukhra 1423 A.H.

Futuhusham

Discrepencies in translation

The reader's pardon is sought for any human errors which are bound to occur
in translating this book. However, it must also be noted that different copies
of ancient 'Arabic manuscripts often differ widely. This should be borne in
mind when comparing the translation with 'Arabic originals, if differences
are found. However, if any clear mistakes are found the translator would
appreciate being informed thereof. The author's sparse chapter headings are
unsuitable for an English book. The translator has therefore created chapters
and divided the book into five parts at his own discretion.

Note of thanks

We firstly thank Allah and then all else who assisted in any way in this
translation. Special help was rendered by:

1) Abu Humayra

2) Abu 'Abdirrahman

3) Mawlana Muhammad Wadiwala

4) M. H.

5) B.V.

6) Jet Printers
, ,7~H^dil Wadi

8) Abu'Aliyah

9) Teacher Isma'Tl Sahib

10) Abu Muhammad

11) Nizham Rasila

Al-Imam al-Waqidi

The author of this book is al-Imam Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad bin 'Umar al-
Waqidi al-Madani who was born at the beginning of 130 Hijri in al-Madinah
al-Munawwarah. His surname is derived from his grandfather's name,
Waqid, and thus he became famous as al-Imam al-Waqidi. He began his

Foreword

studies in Madinah. Amongst his prominent teachers were Ibn Abi Thahab
Ma'mar bin Rashid, al-Imam Malik bin Anas and al-Imam Sufyan ath-
Thawri. Initially he earned a living as a wheat trader, but when a calamity
struck he migrated to Iraq in 1 80 Hijri during the reign of Mamun ar-Rashid.
There Yahya al-Barmaki welcomed him due to his great learning and he was
included as one of Mamun's elite. He was soon appointed as judge and held
this post until his death on 11 Thul Hijjah 207 Hijri. He is buried in the
graveyard of Khayzaran.

The Imam was both a Muhaddith and Historian but since he concentrated on
History, his hadith narrations need to be scrutinised before acceptance
whereas he is doubtlessly acknowledged as a master of History. Besides
Futuhusham, al-Imam al-Waqidi also wrote:

• Al-Maghazi an-Nabawi (Campaigns of the Prophet i&)

• Fath Ifriqiyah (Conquest of North Africa)

• Fath_al-'Ajam (Conquest of Iran)

• Fath Misr wal-Iskandriyah (Conquest of Egypt and Alexandria)

• Akhbar Makkah (Narrations of Makkah)

• At-Tabaqat (The Generations)

• Futuh al-'Iraq (Conquest of Iraq)

• Sirah Abi Bakr wal-Wafat (Life and death of Abu Bakr 4&)

• Kitab as-Sardah (Birth of the Prophet ®)

• Tarikh al-Fuqaha (History of the Jurists)

• Kitab al-Jamal (Battle of the Camel)

• Kitab as-Siffin (Battle of Siffin)

• Maqtal al-Husayn (Massacre of Al-Husayn <&)

• Tafsir al-Quran etc.

Futuhushdm

Ash-Sham

The word 'Syria' as used in this book refers not to the area of the modern
republic, but to the larger ancient region called 'ash-Sham' in 'Arabic. It
bears great significance in Islam viz. the Quran calls it a 'Blessed Land.' In
it is al-Masjid al-Aqsa; it is home to more Prophets than any other land; many
Prophets are buried there, such as Ibrahim SS8I; many Sahabah are buried
there, such as Mu'awiyah 4t>; Syrian 'Ulama are countless, for example, al-
Imam an-Nawawi. Syria has produced many great warriors (as-Sultan
Nuruddin) and martyrs (ash-Shaykh Abdullah al-Azzam). 'Isa 9S3 will
descend in Damascus and have his capital at Baytul Muqaddas; ad-Dajjal will
be slain at Lud; the Abdal (a special group of saints) are mostly found in
Syria; and Syria is the Place of Gathering for Judgement Day.

'Arabic benedictions appearing after names

sallalldhu 'alayhi wa sallam, Allah's salutations and peace be
upon him i.e. the Prophet Muhammad %

'alayhis saldm, peace be upon him (a prophet or angel)

<&S$> radiyalldhu 'anhu, may Allah be pleased with him (a sahabi)

radiyalldhu 'anhum,may Allah be pleased with them (sahabah)

<4>'

Dedication

O Allah! If this book finds acceptance in Your Court then convey the reward
of it to the soul of Abu Basir & and to the souls of all pious believers of the
Kindah tribe.

Foreword

Antioch

• Palmyra

£ /Al-Qaryatayny.
.*3' / ■ Damascus' '••.

BayturMuqaddas 4 ^J>

Persian
'Iraq

• As-Samawah.-'
>. .*...•••'

Note the thousands of kilometres

of harsh, empty desert the Sahabah

crossed to bring us this Din

Tabuk

Arabia

North

Al-Madtnah

Futuhushdm

'Azaz

£** Bayrut
q> Sidon

,-S Tyre

O Acre

J}' Tiberiis • 0^

>^ Caesarea<

Antioch

Manbij

Aleppo

Al- LathiqTyah

Jabalah
J • Hamah

• Ar-Rastan

• Hims

Tripoli • Palmyra

• Al-Qaryatayn
• Ba'labakk

■ Damascus

Ascalon^
Ghazzah** Baytuf ^luqaddas

Yarmuk River

• 'Amman

V>'

«^

XIV

Contents

1. Prelude

2. Abu Bakr 4s> summons the Yamanis for Jihad

3. Battle of Tabuk

4. Romans annihilated

5. Abu Bakr 4& summons the people of Makkah for Jihad

6. Abu Bakr 4» appoints 'Amr 4& as commander

7. Heraclius sends 100,000 against 'Amr 4&

8. War in Palestine

9. 'Amr's 4» letter to Abu 'Ubaydah 4*

10. Battle of Banu Salif Hillock

1 1 . Khalid 4& crosses the desert

12. Busra conquered

1 3 . Story of Romanus 's wife

14. Romans reinforce Damascus

15. The Roman generals argue

16. Sergius's speech to Khalid <&

17. Khalid 4& and Calius duel

18. Khalid & and Uriel duel

1 9. Battle of the Monastery

20. The siege of Damascus

21. Heraclius sends an army to Damascus

22. Khalid <&> consults Abu 'Ubaydah &

23. Dirar's 4s- expedition

Futuhushdm

24. The mysterious warrior

25. Search for Dirar <&>

26. Dirar 's 4& rescue

27. Heraclius letter to Warden

28. Muslims receive intelligence on Ajnadayn

29. Paulus and his wife

30. The Battle of Shakhura

3 1 . Bravery of the Muslim women

32. Sahabah 4 reach Ajnadayn

33. The Battle of Ajnadayn

34. Dirar's 4& valour

35. Dirar & and Steven duel

36. The conspiracy

37. David and Khalid's & dialogue

38. Fruits of treachery

39. Khalid <& and Warden's dialogue

40. Death of Warden

4 1 . Khalid's 4> letter to Abu Bakr &

42. Abu Bakr's 4fe letter to Khalid *

43. Return to Damascus

44. The second siege of Damascus

45. The Damascenes go to Thomas

46. The attack on Damascus

47. The night attack

48. The surrender

Part 1: Damascus

49. Surrender and Conquest

50. Thomas leaves Damascus

5 1 . Jonah and his wife

52. Khalid's 4s& dream

53. Yunus and the princess

54. Herbius is killed

55. Khalid's <&> gift to Heraclius

56. The martyr

57. Khalid's * letter

Parti

Damascus

1) Prelude

Abu Bakr bin Ahmad narrates from 'Umar bin 'Uthman bin 'Abdurahman,
Nawfal bin Muhammad, Muhammad bin 'Abdillah bin Muhammad, Rabi'ah
bin 'Uthman, Yunus bin Muhammad, Main bin Yahya bin 'Abdillah,
Muhammad bin 'Umar ar-Rafiqi, Mu'ath bin Muhammad al-Ansari,
Abdurahman bin Abdil-Aziz, Abdullah bin Majid et ah

Rasulullah S passed away and Abu Bakr 4& became the Khalifah. Abu Bakr 4&
eliminated the false prophets, Musaylamah and Shuja' Walud, while Tulayhah fled
to Syria. He conquered Yamahah and destroyed Band Hanifa and the 'Arabs
submitted to him. The Khalifah then resolved to invade Syria and fight the Romans.
Hence, he gathered the Sahabah & and said, "O people, may Allah have mercy upon
you. Remember that Allah has blessed you with Islam, made you the Ummah of
Muhammad S, increased your Faith and Conviction and granted you complete
victory. He has said:

Today I have perfected for you your religion and completed my
favour unto you and have chosen Islam far you as a religion...

[5:3]

Know that Rasulullah H intended to wage Jihad in Syria and desired that effort
should be made in that direction but then Allah recalled him to Himself. So be clear

Futuhusham

on this point, that I intend sending a Muslim army together with their families and
dependants to Syria. Rasulullah S told me before his demise,

'I was shown the Earth and saw its East and West and that my Ummah would soon
conquer whatever I was shown.'

So you should all come to an agreement and express your opinion to me. May Allah
have mercy upon you."

The Sahabah & unanimously replied, "O Khalifah of Rasulullah H, we are under
your command. We are prepared for whatever you order because Allah has made it
incumbent upon us to obey you by saying:

^VT Jjij J^jJi iji^ij 3ft \^jJ\ °\jL\; iyji 4k

Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority
over you... [4:59]

2) Abu Bakr 4b summons the Yamanis for Jihad

Abu Bakr & was very pleased with this reply and therefore wrote to the kings of
Yaman, the 'Arab chiefs and the people of Makkah:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : 'Abdullah al - 'Atiq bin Abi Quhdfah.

To : All Muslims.

As-saldmu 'Alaykum.

All Praise to Allah alone and salutations to His Messenger.
Know that I intend sending an army to Syria to expel the
Disbelievers and those who do not tread the straight path from

Part 1: Damascus

there. Whoever amongst you intends to wage Jihad should
hasten to obey Allah and make preparations for Allah says:

J~~- jj iSwijIj a-^siI'j^L IjJ g'?-j ^LflJJ liti>- Ijjijl

... 4A)I

Go forth lightly armed or heavily armed and wage Jihad with
your wealth and lives in the path of Allah... [9:41]

Abu Bakr & gave these letters to Anas bin Malik <&, the attendant of Rasulullah ft,
and awaited their reply.

Jabir bin 'Abdillah 4k narrates:

Anas 4k returned after a short while with the glad tidings that the people of Yaman
were coming. He told Abu Bakr 4k, "Whoever I read your order out to immediately
obeyed Allah and accepted your order. These people will present themselves with
their equipment and war materials and armour. O Khalifah of Rasulullah ®, I have
presented myself ahead of their coming to give you glad tidings. In obeying you they
accept having their hair dishevelled and their bodies covered in dust. They are
extremely brave and excellent horsemen - the chiefs of Yaman. They will soon be
arriving with their families and dependants. You should prepare to meet them."

AM Bakr 4k was extremely pleased to hear this.

The next day, signs of the coming of the Mujahidin were seen and so the people of
al-Madinah informed him. Abu Bakr & ordered them to mount their conveyances
and went with them out of al-Madinah to welcome the arrivals.

Soon legion after legion of Mujahidin arrived, each tribe with their emblems and
with their flags in their hands happily marching behind each other. The first Yamani
tribe to come was Himyar, wearing good armour and carrying expensive swords or
Arab bows. Their chief, Thul Kala' al-Himayri <*>, was wearing a turban. He
approached Abu Bakr 4k, greeted him, identified his abode and tribe and then
recited the following poem:

Futuhushdm

s-JjJL OjJUJIj jJ^Jl JjJ jjpij .^JUSfL, ^^^^ dbd

Himyar is my tribe, and these people you see

Are first in battle and high in genealogy.

Lions of bravery, in courage they are leaders.

With curved blades they strike great armed warriors.

Our habit is battle, firm whether we kill or fall

Thul Kald al-Himayri is commander of all.

Our army has come and on the Roman Empire is our sight

Syria will be made home with our might.

For us is Damascus.

We will fling her people into an abyss!

Hearing this, Abu Bakr 4» smiled and said to 'Ali <&, "Abu al-Hasan, have you not
heard Rasulullah ft saying, 'When the Himayr come with their women carrying their
children then rejoice at Allah's help for the Muslims against all Polytheists.' "

'Ali 4& replied, "You have spoken the truth. I have indeed heard Rasulullah ft
saying this."

Anas 4> narrates:

When the Himayr passed by with all their families, dependants, provisions and
equipment, the Mathhij tribe came after them. They were riding extremely fine,
expensive horses and carried sharp spears in their hands. Their leader, Qays bin
Hubayrah al-Muradi approached Abu Bakr «&, introduced himself and his tribe and
then recited this poem:

Part 1: Damascus

Our Army hastened unto thee,

Kings ofMurdd are we,

We have come so that you can see,

How we kill Romans with the swords we carry.

Abu Bakr <$, made du'a for them and they went ahead. The tribe of Tayy came next.
Their chief, Habis bin Said at-Tai, wanted to dismount and walk to the Khalifah. Abu
Bakr 4& took an oath and prevented him from doing so. When Habis came near they
greeted and shook hands and Abu Bakr 4s> thanked them. Next came an enormous
contingent of the tribe of Azd under the command of Jundub bin 'Amr ad-Dawsi.
Amongst them was Abu Hurayrah & carrying a bow and quiver. Abu Bakr * burst
out laughing upon seeing him like this and asked, "Why have you come? You do not
know the art of warfare!"

Abu Hurayrah & replied, "Firstly, I wish to participate in the reward of Jihad, and
secondly, if Allah wills, I will get to eat Syrian fruits!"

Abu Bakr & laughed a lot at this reply.

After this, Banu 'Abs arrived under the command of Maysarah bin Masruq al-'Absi
followed by the Kinanah under Fathm bin Ashyam al-Kinani. All the tribes of Yaman
who came brought their children, wealth, women, horses and camels etc. along with
diem. Abu Bakr 4& was very happy to see this display and thanked Allah.

The tribes encamped separately around al-Madinah. Since the army had become
numerous, food and space became insufficient. Food supplies became low and there
was difficulty in finding grain and pasturage for the horses. Their chiefs therefore
consulted each other and decided to ask the Khalifah to despatch them to Syria due
to the problem of overcrowding at al-Madinah. They went to him, made salam and
sat down. They then looked at each other wondering who would speak first until
eventually Qays bin Hubayrah said, "O Khalifah of Rasulullah S, you summoned us
to a task to which we responded immediately in obedience to Allah and His Rasul S
and out of eagerness for Jihad. Through Allah's grace our army is prepared and all
war provisions made. However, our troops are undergoing difficulty since your city
cannot accommodate all the horses, mules and camels, nor are all the men's needs
fulfilled. We therefore request you to either permit us to fight, or if the decision for
war has been cancelled, then permit us to return to our homeland."

Futuhushdm

In this way each chief in his turn expressed the same idea. Upon hearing them all,
Abu Bakr 4*> replied, "By Allah! I had no intention of giving you difficulty. I merely
desired that all the contingents should arrive so that the army's numbers should be
completed."

They said, "There remains no tribe still to come. All have arrived. Therefore place
your trust in Allah and send us."

3) Battle of Tabuk

Upon hearing this, Abu Bakr 4fe immediately arose and walked to the Mujahidin
camp outside al-Madinah. 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, Sa'id bin Zayd bin 'Amr bin
Nufayl, the tribes of Aws and Khazraj & and others accompanied him. Upon seeing
him the Mujahidin rejoiced and welcomed him with shouts of "Allahu Akbar!" Their
shouts filled the sky and were so loud and numerous that they echoed off the
mountains so that the very mountains replied, "Allahu Akbar!" to the shouts of the
Mujahidin. The Khalifah climbed an elevation from where he gazed at the waves of
ranks which covered every inch of the earth. His face glittered with happiness and
he prayed, "O Allah, grant them patience. Help them. Do not make them prisoners in
the claws of the Disbelievers."

After this du'a he called Yazid bin Abi Sufyan * and gave him a battalion flag and
command over 1,000 horsemen. Thereafter, he gave a flag to al-Hijaz's famous
horseman, Rabi'ah bin 'Amir <&> of Banu 'Amir tribe, also making him commander
of 1,000 horsemen. Then he said to Yazid &, "Rabi'ah bin 'Amir is a man of great
status and nobility. Be acquainted with his bravery and methods of attack. I place him
under you, but you are to place him in every advance group. Consult with him and
act upon his consultation. Do not oppose his opinion."

Yazid * replied, "I readily accept all this."

Yazid <& and Rabi'ah -sfe came on horseback at the head of the two armies to take
leave of Abu Bakr 4* who went on foot with them. Yazid &> said, "O Khalifah of
Rasulullah S, I fear Allah and feel ashamed before Him that we ride while you walk.
Either mount or let us walk." He replied, "Neither will I ride, nor will you dismount.
I hope for reward from Allah by means of this walk."

Thus he marched until Thaniyatul Wada' where he stopped. Yazid <*> came and said,
"O Khalifah of Rasulullah <&>, please advise us."

Part 1: Damascus

Abu Bakr & said, "When you leave a place do not cause the men difficulty in
marching. Do not punish your men harshly. Consult them in every matter. Do not
abandon justice and stay far from injustice and tyranny because no tyrant nation has
ever obtained success nor been victorious over another nation. Act upon the Quran's
dictate:

*b JJa3 Ate I J! !>>cXa j\ JlxaJ lij^tX* ^1 jOjj} ?Vjj

i i_<ya* i

When you meet those who disbelieve in a battlefield, never

turn your backs to them (i.e. flee). And whoever turns his back

to them on such a day - unless it be a strategy of war, or a

retreat to (his own) troops - has indeed drawn upon himself

the wrath of Allah. . . [8: 16-17]

That is to say, when you encounter the army of Disbelievers then do not flee for
whoever flees, loses the battle. When you have obtained victory do not slay any small
children, old people, women or pre-adolescents. Do not approach the harvests of
trees. Crops should not be burnt nor fruit trees cut. Do not slaughter any animal
which is impermissible. Do not break any agreement which you make with the
enemy and after peace do not tear up your treaties. Remember that you will also meet
such people who have undertaken monasticism in their monasteries, thinking this to
be for the sake of Allah. Do not interfere with them for as long as as they choose this
isolationism - do not destroy their monasteries and do not kill them.

You will also meet such a Satanic people who worship the Cross. They shave their
heads in the middle to expose their skulls. Cut off their heads until they accept Islam
or pay Jizyah disgraced. Now I place you in Allah's hands, may He protect you."

He then shook hands and embraced Yazid * and then shook hands with Rabi'ah *
saying, "Rabi'ah bin 'Amir, show your bravery and intelligence in fighting the
Romans. May Allah fulfil all your desires and forgive us all."

Futuhushdm

The Islamic army then went towards its destination while Abu Bakr <& and his
companions returned to al-Madinah. After reaching a short distance outside al-
Madinah, Yazid 4fr increased his pace. Rabi'ah 4b objected, "Abu Bakr ordered you
to go slowly without causing difficulty."

Yazid 4b : It is true that he commanded this, but just as he despatched us, he intends
despatching other armies too. I intend reaching Syria first so that by the time the
others reach us we may have gained some victories. There are three benefits in this -
firstly, Allah and his Rasul's S pleasure; secondly, the Khalifah will be happy;
thirdly, booty will be obtained if Allah wills.

Rati 'ah 4b : As you please. All power and might belong to Allah.

So they took the secondary road of Wadiyul Qura so as to reach Damascus by way
of Tabuk and al-Jabiyah.

Christian 'Arabs living in al-Madinah gave intelligence of this invasion to the Roman
Emperor, Heraclius. He assembled the Imperial officials and said, "O Romans, know
that your Empire, wealth and lives are facing impending destruction. For as long as
you maintained the laws of the Gospel, you defeated whichever king attacked you
and your dominations in Syria. You will recall that Kisra attacked you with the
Persian army but had to flee in defeat. The Turks also attacked you but were
similarly defeated. The Jaramiqah invaded but you drove them back. Now you have
brought about changes and innovations in your religion and chosen the path of
tyranny. You have now become criminals in the Eyes of God and in retribution He is
sending such a people against you who are of no note or rank. No nation was
regarded as weaker than them so it never occurred to us that they would dare to attack
us in our own territories. Actually it is nothing but famine and hunger which has
driven them to us and their Prophet's successor has sent them to snatch our lands and
drive us out."

Heraclius then told them whatever the spies had told him, to which the Imperial
officials unanimously replied, "Send us against them and they will never fulfil their
desires. We will drive them back to their Prophet's city, demolish their Ka'bah,
uproot its foundation and not spare a single one of them."

When Heraclius observed their eager faces, weighed their plans against caution and
resolution and found them ready, he chose a cavalry of 8,000 daring and brave men.
Over them he appointed four great experienced commanders - Batlic; his brother
Sergius; Chief of Police, Luke son of Samuel; and the Governor of Ghazzah and
Ascalon, Salya. These four were the epitome of bravery and intelligence. They put

Part 1: Damascus

on their armour, prepared their goods and displayed their adornment. The Chief
Priest then prayed for their victory and assistance, "O God! Help whichever party is
on the Truth."

Incense was burned in the churches and holy water sprinkled over them. Caesar
himself came to bid them farewell and so they left following Christian 'Arab guides.

Yasir bin Husayn narrates:

Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4& reached Tabuk three days before the Romans. On the fourth
day, the Sahabah of Rasulullah S intended to advance but saw dust rising in the
distance. Allah then inspired them with a clever strategy. Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4s>
ordered Rabi'ah bin 'Amir <*> to hide in ambush with 1,000 men while he himself led
1,000 to face the enemy and drew them in rows. He gave some advice and mentioned
Allah's favours, then said, "Remember that Allah has promised you victory in most
places. He has sent angels to your aid and says in the Quran:

<U)I O^k ajji^sa "A23 O-lp 4jJ£ <ji3 ,V» &^=

How often a small group overcame a mighty force by Allah 's
leave? And Allah is with the patient ones. [2:249]

Our Master, Rasulullah S, said that Paradise lies under the shadow of swords. O my
brothers, the very first army to make Jihad against the Romans is this very army of
yours. Whichever Muslim army may come to join you will come to help you while
you remain the original force. So it is required of you to display that which the
Muslims are expecting of you. The enemy is confronting you, therefore be careful
that they do not have hopes of killing you. Help Allah's Din and He will help you."

While Yazid 4fe was advising them, the Roman vanguard, followed by the main body
arrived. Seeing a small 'Arab force, they thought this to be the entire 'Arab army.
They shouted and said to each other, "Encircle those who have come intending to
snatch your Empire, dishonour you and slay your kings. Draw help from the Cross
so that it may come to your assistance." They then attacked.

Futuhusham

The Sahabah & responded with great courage and thus the battle began and endured
for some time. The Romans gained the upper hand due to their greater number and
thought that they would capture the Muslims, when suddenly Rabi'ah <&> and his men
emerged riding 'Arab horses. They loudly recited salutations on Rasulullah and
shouted "Allahu Akbar!" as if they were thundering clouds. Rabi'ah * attacked
fiercely and the banner of Tawheed was raised. As soon as the Romans saw the
ambush they lost courage and Allah placed such terror in their hearts that they broke
rank and fled. Batlic was encouraging his men to continue fighting when Rabi'ah *fe
spotted him and deduced from his demeanour that he was a commander of the army.
With great daring, he speared the Roman with such force that the spear penetrated
him through one side and emerged from the other. When the Romans saw him fall
unconscious, they recklessly fled and abandoned the battlefield to the Sahabah &■

'Abdullah bin Hilm narrates:

Allah destroyed 2,200 Romans in this battle while 120 Muslims were martyred,
mostly from the Yamani tribe, Sakasik.

Sergius addressed the defeated Romans, "How can I show my face to Caesar
Heraclius when the audacity of a small Muslim force has destroyed our great
champions. Our blood stains the Earth and our corpses lie in heaps. I cannot return
until I either avenge my brother or join him in death." Hearing this the Romans began
rebuking each other and returned to save face. They erected their tents, arranged their
equipment and prepared for a fierce fight. When all the equipment was arranged and
the camp firmly entrenched, a Christian 'Arab, Qadh bin Wathilah, was called and
told, "Go to the Muslim camp and tell them to send a wise, intelligent and
experienced man to us so that we may ask him what their goal is."

Qadh reached the Muslims on a light-paced horse. When some Aws tribesmen saw
him, a stranger in their midst, they asked, "What do you want here?" He replied,
"Our commander of the army calls for one of your wise and experienced men so that
he may investigate why you have interfered in Imperial affairs."

Rabi'ah <& : I will go.

Ydztd & : Rabi'ah, it is not appropriate for you to go since you killed one of their
great officers in yesterday's battle.

Rabi'ah * : Allah says in the Quran:

/ /

Part 1: Damascus

M Js>j llJj^ }A 111 %"\ Cr,Z-=> C "}) l-l.^ij J JS

Say: Nothing will afflict us except that which Allah has
decreed for us. He is our Protector. [9:51]

I advise you and the Muslims to closely observe me. If I attack the Romans because
they betray me, then fight them too.

He then mounted his horse and, bidding the Muslims salam, made for the enemy
camp. When he came near the enemy tents, Qadh said, "Honour the Imperial army
by dismounting."

Rabi'ah ^ replied, "I am not someone who leaves honour and chooses disgrace. It
can never happen that I hand over my horse to anyone else. I will not dismount at any
place except the tent entrance. If this is not acceptable to you then I will fight you
because you are the ones who called us - we sent no message to you whatsoever."

Qadh informed the Romans of this. They consulted each other and said, "The 'Arabs
are firm and true in their word. Let him come as he pleases." Thus he came
mounted right up to the tents where he dismounted and, with the horse's bridle in his
hand, sat down cross-legged.

Sergius : My dear brother 'Arab, we have always considered you to be weak. It never
occurred to us that we would be fighting each other and that you would in fact attack
us. What is it that you want?

Rabi'ah 4fe : We desire that you accept our Din and be reciters of the same
Declaration which we recite. If not, then you will have to pay Jizyah. If you have a
problem with that also, then the sword is the best decider.

Sergius : What harm is there if instead you go and attack the Persians? We should
make peace and befriend each other.

Rabi'ah & : Compared to you Persia is further off and Allah has commanded us:

Futuhushdm

«- . >

jU^=J! ^i fi>& ^l/^ 1 IjM l£^ Oi^ 1 sK

Fig/j? //lose Disbelievers who are nearest to you and let them
find you harsh against them. [9:123]

Sergius : What! Has a book been revealed to you?

Rabi'ah 4& : Just as the Gospel was revealed to your Prophet.

Sergius : Perhaps we could make peace on these terms - we will give each of your
men one dinar and a camel-load of grain; for your commander 100 dinar and 100
camel-loads of grain. We will sign a peace treaty to the effect that you will not fight
us nor will we fight you.

Rabi'ah <&> : This can never be. I have already stated that your first choice is Islam,
second Jizyah, third the sword.

Sergius : We can never leave our religion and become Muslims since we do not
consider any religion better than ours, and to die is better than paying you Jizyah.
You cannot know how to fight better than us, for in our army are sons of Roman
generals and Amalakites, men of the battlefield, all experts in both sword and spear.

He then called for a priest named Sicilia to come and debate with 'this bedouin'.

4) Romans annihilated

Caesar Heraclius had sent a priest with the army who was knowledgeable in religion
and debate. When he came Sergius said, "O holy father, question this man as to his
religion and then tell us what you think."

Priest : O 'Arab brother, it is written in our Scriptures that God will send an 'Arab
prophet from the Hashimi family of the Quraysh tribe whose sign of recognition will ^
be that God will summon him to the Heavens. Did this happen to your prophet? i

Rabi'ah 4fe : Allah did indeed summon our Prophet S to the Heavens and has
mentioned in the Quran:

Part 1: Damascus

... bxLjU ^v* J4J>J -><»Jj>- LSjiJ (_£4JI t^aS^I JL><JLJI

Pwre is ^a? 5emg who took his slave on a night journey from

the Sacred Masjid (in Makkah) to the Furthest Masjid (in

Jerusalem) whose precincts we have blessed so that We may

show him Our signs. [17:1]

Priest : It is in the Scriptures that it will be compulsory for that Prophet and his
followers to fast one month of the year called 'Ramadan'.

Rabt'ah 4& '■ That is also correct. One month of fasting has been made compulsory
upon us as mentioned in the Quran:

... o^^Jlj CS^

Ramadan is that month in which the Quran was revealed. It is

a guidance for humanity and distinguishes between truth and

falsehood... [2:185]

In another place He says:

Fasting has been prescribed upon you just as it was prescribed
upon those before you. [2:183]

Priest : We have also read in our Scriptures that if one of his followers performs a
good deed, then the reward of ten good deeds is written for him. Whereas if he
commits an evil, only one is written down against him.

Rabi'ah & : The Quran explains it like this:

Futuhushdm

bjX&.-i^Aj LjiL ^| kjkr

ife w//o performs good receives ten the like thereof and he who

performs evil is only accountable for the like thereof and they

will not be wronged. [6:160]

Priest : It is written that God orders his followers to send salutation upon him.

Rabi'ah &> : Yes, He has ordered it in these words:

^ f v

y4//a/z and His Angels send salutation upon His Prophet. O you

who believe convey salutations and greetings of peace upon

him. [33:56]

The priest was amazed to hear this answer and said to the commander of the army,
"Truth is with these people."

After this dialogue, a courtier told Sergius, "This is the bedouin who killed your
brother yesterday."

Upon hearing this, Sergius blazed with rage until his eyes turned red with fury and
he intended to assault Rabi'ah 4t. Rabi'ah 4t however realised his intention and got
up with lightning speed. He grabbed a sword and struck Sergius with such force that
he fell to the ground. The Romans charged at him, so he jumped onto his horse
shouting, "Is there any challenger?" and faced them for combat.

Yazid bin Abi Sufyan & saw the battle and shouted, "O Muslims, the enemy has
betrayed a Companion of your Prophet ®. Attack at once!" The Muslims attacked
and the two forces were completely interlocked. The Romans were firmly holding
their battle stations when suddenly a second Muslim force under Shurahbil bin

Part 1 : Damascus

Hasanah 4s>, the scribe of Rasfllullah $1, arrived. When the Muslims saw their
brothers coming, their spirits rose and they fought so zealously that their swords were
in a constant meeting with enemy heads. Out of the 8,000 Romans, not a single one
survived. Tabflk was far from Syria so the 'Arabs were able to pursue and slay them
all and capture all their wealth, Turkish horses, tents and treasure. They met
Shurahbil and his companions and exchanged salam and du'a. After erecting camp,
Shurahbil 4® consulted Yazid and Rabi'ah & about the booty and the two agreed,
"All booty captured from the Romans should be sent to the Khalifah so that the
Muslims may see it. This will encourage them to participate in Jihad and send their
troops here."

Shaddad bin Aws *te and 500 horsemen took all the booty, except for weapons and
war equipment, to the Khalifah. The remaining troops stayed at Tabflk awaiting the
arrival of more Muslim armies.

When the Muslims of al-Madinah saw Shaddad bin Aws <&> arriving with the booty,
they raised cries of, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!"

Abu Bakr 4t> enquired as to the shouting. They replied, "Shaddad has returned with
booty."

In the meantime, Shaddad <$> and his men came, dismounted and went to the Masjid
to perform Tahiyatul Masjid and offer salam at the grave of Rasulullah H. They then
went to Abu Bakr <&> to give him the good news and related the whole incident with
the Romans. Abu Bakr 4& prostrated out of thanks and considered this to be a good
omen. He used the booty to prepare another Muslim army and wrote to the people of
Makkah to encourage them to participate in Jihad.

5) Abu Bakr & summons the people of Makkah for Jihad

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

From : 'Abdullah al- Atiq bin Abi Quhdfah

To : The people of Sacred Makkah and surrounds.

As-Saldmu 'Alaykum

All praise belongs to Allah alone and salutation be to His
Messenger. I have prepared to wage Jihad on the enemies of the

Futuhushdm

Muslims and to conquer Syria. lam informing you of this so that
you may immediately comply with Allah 's command:

J~~* (j iSwijIj ^ < ^a.| j.*L; !jJLgij>-j j'-^j liL&»- Ijj^j)

Go forth lightly armed or heavily armed and wage Jihad with

your wealth and lives in the path of Allah. That is better for

you if only you knew. [9:41]

This verse was revealed in your city, so you are more
responsible than others to comply. Whoever shows himself true
by implementing this is the best person. Whoever assists the Din
of Allah will be assisted by Allah. As for him who remains aloof
from this task, Allah does not care for him. Race towards a
Paradise filled with grape-vines prepared by Allah for the
Mujdhidin, Muhdjirin, and Ansdr etc.

Sufficient is Allah for us, and what an excellent Disposer of
affairs He is!

He stamped it with Rasulullah's ft seal and sent it with 'Abdullah bin Huthafah *
to Makkah. When Ibn Huthafah .& reached Makkah he shouted loudly. When the
people had gathered around him, he read it aloud. Suhayl bin Amr, Harith bin Hisham
and 'Ikramah bin Abi Jahl & stood up and said, "We accept the invitation of he who
calls to Allah and His Rasfll and accept the word of Rasulullah ft as true."

Harith and 'Ikramah 4= then said, "By Allah, we will definitely help His Din. Why
do we lag behind others? While it is true that they have overtaken us by reaching their
goal before us and we have been deprived of that great virtue, at least we can have
our names included with theirs by joining them."

'Ikramah 4& took fourteen men from his tribe, Makhzum, while Suhayl bin 'Amr .&
went with forty youths from Banu 'Amir, including Harith bin Hisham. Others from

Part 1: Damascus

Makkah joined them until they became an army of 500 going to al-Madinah. Abu
Bakr .$> wrote to the Hawazin and Thafiq tribes who sent 400 men to al-Madinah.

'Abdullah bin Said narrates from Abu 'Amir:

We were in Taif when 400 men of Hawazin and Thafiq immediately responded upon
reading Abu Bakr's 4fe letter. On the way we met the men from Makkah so that we
became a total of 900. Each of us said, "I am enough to confront 900 Roman
horsemen all on my own."

When we arrived at al-Madinah, we encamped at Baqi'. Abu Bakr *&> was informed
and he ordered, "Leave your camp and go straight to where your brothers, Shurahbil
bin Hasanah, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan and Rabi'ah bin 'Amir, are."

At that time, they were all waiting at the border. Upon reaching them, we waited
there for twenty days during which time other delegations came and joined us.

Shaddad bin Aws 4*> narrates:

Abu Bakr & came one day with a few Muhajirin and Ansar and gave a befitting
speech while standing. After praising AMh and sending salutation on Rasulullah S
he said, "O people, amongst the obligations which Allah has decreed upon the
Muslims is Jihad, the reward for which is very great in the Eyes of Allah. Purify your
intentions and have only good desires so that your rewards may increase. O slaves of
Allah, hasten to fulfil the obligation of your Rabb and the Sunnah of your True
Guide. There can only be one of two outcomes to the endeavour upon which you
embark - victory pr martyrdom. Whoever is martyred will meet those who have died
before him and his reward is upon Allah!"

'Abdullah bin Said narrates:

I said to Abu 'Amir, "Describe Abu Bakr."

He said, "He had a wheatish-coloured complexion, thin tall body and his beard was
not very thick."

Abu 'Amir narrates:

400 men came from Hadramawt also.

Futuhushdm

Abu Bakr <&> sent a letter to Usayd bin Salamah al-Kilabi and Banu Kilab
summoning them to partake in the Jihad against Rome. Dahhak bin Sufyan bin Awf
4fe stood to address the gathered tribe, "O Banu Kilab, make fear of Allah your
distinguishing sign and respond to the summons of the Khalifah by coming to the
assistance of the Din of Muhammad S."

An old man who had travelled several times to Syria stood up and said, "O Dahhak,
you encourage us to fight such people who have prestige, power, implements of war
and innumerable horses. How can the 'Arabs find the strength to fight them when we
are few, hungry and weak?"

Dahhak replied, "The victories of Rasulullah S were not based on numbers or
implements of war but on raising the Word of Allah which is the actual reason why
he was sent. You will probably recall that at Badr, Rasulullah % had only 313 men
against the Quraysh who had a numerous army, implements of war, horses, countless
weapons and were short of nothing. For as long as he remained on Earth, victory and
conquest were always his. Now look at his Khalifah, Abu Bakr «&>. You saw how, as
soon as he was appointed, he defeated the Apostates with the sword. Remember that
for as long as you do not help the Muslims, as Himyar and Tayy are doing, you will
never have respect in the eyes of the Khalifah and the Muslims. By Allah! Do not
disgrace yourselves amongst the 'Arabs. You have more horses and camels than
other 'Arabs, not to mention the number of armies and weapons. Fear Allah and obey
the Khalifah's order immediately."

This speech roused Banu Kilab who hastened to al-Madinah mounted on camels.
They also brought other camels to be used as beasts of burden and had 'Arab horses.
They entered al-Madinah wearing their weapons. At that time Abu Bakr 4& was
coming out to send off an army to Syria. He was very glad to see them and ordered
them to join the rest of the army. He presented the flag to Dahhak bin Sufyan -*> who
in turn presented him with horses and camels he had brought with him to be used
against Rome. Abu Bakr ^ was happy to see all the horses reddish-white and said,
"I have heard Rasulullah H say that the horses of Yaman have white legs."

The gathering army caused a noise and commotion. The children of the Muhajirin
and Ansar joined them, resulting in a huge force assembling at Jurf. Abu Bakr 4»
appointed Abu 'Ubaydah bin Jarrah 4& as Commander-in-Chief. An honourable
youth, Sa'id bin Khalid bin Sa'id bin al-'As 4fe, had complained to Abu Bakr 4s>,
"When you intended to appoint my father, an officer in your army, as commander of
the Reconnaissance, the Muslims objected and so you dismissed him although he had
dedicated himself to the Path of Allah. Similarly I have dedicated my life to the Path

Part 1: Damascus

of Allah and have always obeyed your summons and given you my allegiance. I have
never swayed. If you should now make me commander of the Reconnaissance, I have
hope that Allah will not make me helpless."

Because he was more experienced than his father and an able horseman, Abu Bakr
appointed him as the commander of Reconnaissance Forces. He gave him a flag and
command over 2,000 cavalry. When 'Umar 4b heard of Sa'id's 4b request and
acceptance thereof, he became angry. He went to Abu Bakr 4b and said, "O Khalifah
of Rasulullah S, you are giving the flag to Sa'id whereas others are better suited than
him. By Allah! I know that whatever he said against enemies was directed at none
other than me. By Allah! I have never said a word against his father nor committed
any act of enmity against him."

This confused Abu Bakr 4b since he felt bad about deposing Sa'id & as well as
opposing 'Umar 4b because firstly, 'Umar had firm faith in his heart; secondly, he
always gave good advice; and thirdly, Rasulullah held him in high esteem.
Perplexed, he went to 'Aishah and told her the whole incident. She advised, "My
father, you know that 'Umar always keeps the welfare of the Din at heart. His words
are always well-intended and he bears no ill-will against any Muslim."

Abu Bakr 4b called Abu Arwa ad-Dawsi and ordered him, "Go to Sa'id bin Khalid
and tell him to return the flag to me."

'Abdullah bin 'Umar 4fc narrates:

I was also part of that army when Abu Arwa ad-Dawsi conveyed Abu Bakr's orders
to Sa'id bin Khalid. At that time Sa'id 4b was leading us in Salah at al-Jurf. When he
heard the order, he immediately returned the flag saying, "I have dedicated my life
for the service of the Din and have placed myself firmly in the Path of Allah. I will
fight under the banner of Abu Bakr with a clean heart in any place and under
anyone's command."

6) Abu Bakr 4&> appoints 'Amr 4fc> as commander

While Abu Bakr 4b was pondering over who should be appointed as commander of
Abu 'Ubaydah's Reconnaissance, Suhayl bin 'Amr, 'Ikramah bin Abi Jahl and Harith
bin Hisham & arrived. They were carrying their weapons and desired that they
should be given command of the army. Abu Bakr 4» perceived this and therefore
consulted 'Umar 4b who replied, "I do not find this appropriate."

Futuhushdm

Harith turned to him and said, "0 Abu Hafs (i.e. Umar &>), you were a sword against
us before we embraced Islam. Now that Allah has guided us, you still have no regard
for our relationship whereas Allah has commanded the fulfilling of relatives' rights."

'Umar & : I consider those who are first in Islam more appropriate.

Suhayl 4a : If that is your criterion then we will not disobey you in any manner.
However much time we spent in pre-Islam fighting against Rasulullah %, we will
now spend twice that amount and whatever effort we made fighting him, we will now
double our efforts against the enemies of Allah.

'Ikramah •$> : O people, I make you my witnesses before Allah that I dedicate myself
to the Path of Allah and hand my life over to Him. Myself, my companions, my
children and wealth are all for Allah. We will never leave Jihad.

Abu Bdkr 4* : O Allah, grant them greater than what they expect.

Thereafter, he handed the flag to 'Amr bin al-'As bin Wail as-Sahmi and said, "I
appoint you as commander of the army of the people of Makkah, Thaqif, Taif,
Hawazin, Banu Kilab and Hadramawt. When you reach Palestine, write to Abu
'Ubaydah, 'If you require any assistance then I am here.' Do not do anything
without his consultation. If you separate then may Allah bless whatever the two of
you intend."

'Amr 4* went to 'Umar * and said, "You know my harshness against the enemy and
my patience in Jihad. It would be well if you ask the Khalifah to make me
commander over Abu 'Ubaydah. You know my rank with Rasulullah S and I hope
that Allah will grant victory through me and destroy the enemy."

'Umar 4> : What you say is correct and I do believe you but I cannot assent to you
commanding Abu 'Ubaydah. I consider him higher ranking than you. He preceded
you in Islam and Rasulullah S said, "Abu 'Ubaydah is the trustworthy one of this
Ummah."

'Amr 4& : If I command him then he will not be humiliated nor will there be any
decrease in his status.

'Umar 4» : How sad, O 'Amr, that you desire worldly honour and prestige. Fear
Allah. Choose the honour of the world to come.

'Amr 4» : The matter is as you have stated it.

Part 1: Damascus

'Amr 4& ordered the army to march and so they left under his command in this order:
Makkah, Banu Kilab, Asnahi, Hawazin and Thaqif. The Muhajirin and Ansar stayed
to join Abu 'Ubaydah. 'Amr 4s> made Said bin Khalid * head of his Advance
Reconnaissance.

Abu Darda & narrates that he was part of 'Amr's & army when it departed and
heard Abu Bakr's £> departing advice:

Fear Allah in secret and open. Maintain your modesty towards
Him in private because He always watches you. You know very
well that I have appointed you over such people who are more
honourable and pious than you. Perform all acts to earn the
Hereafter and to please Allah. Be like an affectionate father
towards your men.

Do not race in your march. Enquire as to their welfare. Amongst
them are different kinds of people including frail and weak ones,
and you have a long journey ahead of you. Allah is the Helper
of His Din and will make it triumph over every other religion
even if the Polytheists dislike it. Do not take your army on the
route which Yazid bin Abi Sufydn, Rabi'ah bin 'Amir and
Shurahbil bin Hasanah took. Instead, take the Aylah route and
you will, if Allah wills, reach Palestine. Upon reaching there,
appoint spies and informants and keep intelligence about Abu
'Ubaydah 's condition. If he is victorious then start campaigning
in Palestine, otherwise if he needs assistance then send armies
one after the other under Suhayl, 'Ikramah, Harith and Sa 'id
bin Khalid.

Do not be lazy or negligent in the task to which you have been
appointed. Avoid indolence as far as possible. When you see the
greater enemy number do not say, "What trouble has Abu Bab-
bin Abi Quhdfah trapped us in. He has sent us against an enemy
it is impossible to fight against, " because, O 'Amr, you have

Futuhushdm

seen many times how small numbers have taken on greater
numbers of polytheists. Remember the Battle of Khaybar and
you will recall how the Muslims gained victory before your very
eyes.

O 'Amr, there are with you such Muhdjirin and Ansdr who
fought at Badr. Respect and honour them. Fulfil their rights and
do not be arrogant in your leadership towards them thinking,
"Because Abu Bdkr appointed me over them I must be better
than them. " Beware the deception of the ego. Consider yourself
but a fellow soldier with them. Consult them in whatever task
presents itself. Saldh is the greatest thing. Call the athdn as soon
as the time of Saldh sets in.

Never pray any Saldh without athdn. Pray when the whole army
has heard it. Those who pray with you in congregation will have
attained a great virtue while those who pray in their tents will
receive their full reward. Listen attentively to ambassadors and
do not put them off for the sake of others. Always remain on
your guard against the enemy. Emphasise the importance of
reading the Quran to your companions. Appoint watchmen and
security and oversee them.

Spend time with your companions at night. Neither punish too
harshly nor give so much leeway which will embolden them
against you. As far as possible avoid whipping anyone - lest he
should join the enemy and help them against you. Do not
investigate anyone too deeply, but accept him at face value.
Make effort in your work. Have faith in Allah when facing the
enemy and keep this advice in mind. Emphasise to your
companions that they should not fall to extremes and if they do
they should be punished. When advising them be brief.

Part 1: Damascus

Rectify yourself so that our subjects may be rectified, for a pious
ruler is closer to Allah than an ordinary person. I have
appointed you as commander over the 'Arabs, so recognise the
worth of each tribe and clan. Treat them as an affectionate
father would. Investigate the condition of the whole army at the
time of marching. Send scouts ahead and keep those whom you
can rely upon at the back for security. Be patient when you meet
the enemy and be firm.

Do not turn back and expose yourself as cowardly, weak and
helpless. Quran readers should be particular in reciting the
Quran. The men should be prevented from discussing the Pre-
Isldmic period since this will lead to enmity. Turn away from
worldly beauty and adornment until you meet those who have
gone before you, who died hungry. Join these people whom
Allah has praised in the Quran:

And we made them leaders guiding (mankind) by Our

command, and revealed to them the doing of good deeds,

performing saldh and paying zakdh and they were Our

worshippers. [21:73]

Abu ad-Darda & narrates:

Abu 'Ubaydah <& was also present when Abu Bakr 4& was advising 'Amr bin al-' As
4h. Thereafter he said, "Now leave with Allah's blessing and help. I advise you to fear
Him, wage Jihad in His Path and fight the Disbelievers. Allah will certainly help the
person who seeks His help."

Futuhushdm

Al-Waqidi narrates:

9,000 men under ' Amr 4b marched to Palestine. The previous day, the Khalifah gave
Abu 'Ubaydah Jarrah 4b a flag and appointed him as Commander-in-Chief of all the
Islamic armies. He ordered him to advance towards al-Jabiyah and said, "O
Trustworthy one of this Ummah, you have heard my advice to 'Amr bin al-' As. I now
bid you farewell."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b then departed while Abu Bakr 4k returned and called Khalid bin al-
Walid al-Makhzumi 4b. He appointed him commander over Lakhm and Jutham as
well as a cavalry of 900 men and gave him the black banner of Rasulullah &. These
900 had demonstrated their daring and self-sacrifice in most battles they had fought
with Rasulullah S. Abu Bakr 4k then said to him, "O Abu Sulayman (i.e. Khalid), I
have appointed you over this army which you must take to Aylah and Persia. I have
hope in Allah that he will conquer these lands through you. If He wills you shall be
assisted."

Khalid 4k then departed for 'Iraq.

Ruwaym bin 'Amir narrates from Waqis bin Sayf ash-Shabkari:

I was with the army which Abu Bakr 4b sent to Aylah and Palestine under the
leadership of 'Amr bin al-As 4k, with Sa'id bin Khalid bin Sa'id 4k as flag bearer. I
saw him waving the flag and reciting this poem:

We are marching with a small army from the best nation,

Against Disbelievers, Syria is our destination.

They worship the Cross an evil people are they,

I will cut them to the ground, with my sword I will slay.

I will pierce them thoroughly with my spear,

On the battle-field there is nothing I fear

In this war Paradise is my aspiration

And that with the pious be my resurrection.

Ruwaym bin 'Amir says that he heard Marik bin Jundub narrating from reliable
reporters of the conquest of Syria, that Shurahbil bin Hasanah 4k was reciting the
above poem the day Abu Bakr 4k sent him after Yazid bin Abi Sufyan and Rabi'ah
bin 'Amir &■

Part 1: Damascus

Abu Bakr & was making du'a for the victory of the armies he had sent to Iraq and
Syria and was most anxious about them. 'Uthman <$> perceived signs of this anxiety
on his face and asked, "What troubles you?"

Abii Bakr 4fe : By Allah! I know well that Rasulullah's & words are true. There can
be no doubt whatsoever that we will conquer Rome and Persia but we do not know
if that will be during this war or at some other opportunity, nor do we know which
army will accomplish this.

'Uthman & : That is true, but we should have hope in Allah.

7) Heraclius sends 100,000 men against 'Amr 4fc

That night Abu Bakr & dreamt that 'Amr bin al-'As * and his men were passing
through a dark, narrow mountain-pass and were greatly worried. They wanted to
leave the pass. 'Amr 4& spurred his horse and the others followed him. Suddenly he
found himself in a lush green, wide place. He encamped and found great comfort.
This dream greatly pleased Abu Bakr &. 'Uthman & interpreted it as victory for
'Amr 4& and his army except it appeared that they would first have to undergo great
difficulty.

In Pre-Islamic times and then continuing in Islam, traders would bring wheat, barley,
olive-oil, raisins, apples and figs to sell in al-Madinah. These traders were present
when Abu Bakr 4& was organising and despatching the army and thus heard the
orders he gave to 'Amr bin al-'As & with regard to Aylah and Palestine. They went
to inform Caesar Heraclius of this as well as of the defeat of the Romans at Tabuk.
Heraclius assembled all his officials, war-experts and priests. He informed them of
this saying, "O Romans, this is the matter of which I warned you some time ago. That
Prophet's followers will soon seize my crown and throne and rule over this land.
They cut to pieces your army at Tabuk. Muhammad's Khalifah has despatched an
army which will soon arrive. You should maintain your respect and fight heart and
soul to defend your religion, family, dependants, lives and wealth. If you slacken now
then the 'Arabs will capture your empire and wealth."

This news made them cry over their dead slain at Tabuk. Heraclius rebuked them,
"You are men and you cry like this? Stop, for that is women's work. What you should
now do is to gather your forces at Ajnadayn." The Prime Minister said, "We request
that those people who gave you this information be brought so that they may be
questioned." Heraclius commanded this and so a soldier brought a Christian from the
tribe of Lakhm.

Futuhushdm

Heraclius : How long is it since you left al-Madinah?

Lakhmi : Twenty-five days.

Heraclius : Who is the leader of the Muslims?

Lakhmi : His name is Abu Bakr. He has collected an army and has sent it against you.
I have examined them properly - they are energetic, cunning, prepared and firm.

Heraclius : Have you seen this Abu Bakr?

Lakhmi : Yes, in fact he purchased a shawl from me which he draped over his
shoulders. He is an ordinary looking man with nothing to distinguish him. He roams
the market wearing two cloths overseeing that the strong fulfil the rights of the weak.
He treats weak and strong equally.

Heraclius : Describe his features.

Lakhmi : Tall, wheat-coloured, light-cheeked, thin. His finger-joints are wide and his
teeth are beautiful.

Heraclius (smiling) : So that is Muhammad's Khalifah about whom we read in the
Scriptures. His successor will be black-eyed, tall, wheat-coloured like a lion. He shall
conquer and expel his enemies from their lands.

Lakhmi : I have seen such a person in his company who never separates from him.

Heraclius : I am now fully convinced. Previously, I tried to make the Romans
understand and invited them to salvation but none listened to me and they refused to
obey. Now the Romans will be expelled very quickly from Syria.

Heraclius had a golden cross made and handed it over to Rubius, the commander of
the army, saying, "I have appointed you as commander of all my forces. Hasten
towards the Islamic armies and prevent them from occupying Palestine because it is
a beautiful, prosperous territory. In fact, our prestige and power rests on it." Rubius
organised his troops and marched to Ajnadayn that same day.

8) War in Palestine

'Amr's 4& animals were weak and thin when he reached Palestine via the Aylah route.
He encamped at a very lush place letting the horses and camels graze and so they
recovered. One day the Muhajirin and Ansar gathered to consult each other on the

Part 1: Damascus

battle when suddenly 'Amir bin 'Adi, a distinguished and pious Muslim, arrived. He
knew Syria's cities and roads well because most of his family and friends stayed
there and he would often visit them. He was returning from there when the Muslims
saw him and took him to 'Amr &. 'Amr * noticed a change in his face and
exclaimed. "O 'Amir, what is the matter? Why are you so afraid?"

'Amir : Behind me is a Roman army mounted on very fine horses smashing aside
everything in their path.

'Amr & : You have put the fear of the Disbelievers into the hearts of the Muslims.
We seek Allah's help against them. Tell me, how many do you estimate them at?

'Amir : O commander, I climbed up a very high mountain in order to estimate their
numbers. Wadi al-Ahmar, a big valley in Palestine, was completely filled with their
banners, spears and crosses. I think that they are no less than 100,000. That is all I
could find out. I apologise for frightening the Muslims.

'Amr 4* : We seek Allah's help, for all power and might belong to Him alone. O
people, you and I are equal in the matter of Jihad. Seek help from Allah against the
enemy and fight whole-heartedly in defence of the Din. Whoever is killed from us is
a martyr and whoever remains is fortunate. Now tell me your opinions.

Bedouins : O commander, take us to a jungle so that we can encamp in the centre.
They will not have the audacity to attack us there and cannot leave their forts and
towns. When they learn that we are encamped in the centre of the jungle, their unity
will break and they will become negligent. We will then attack and if Allah wills, we
shall be successful.

Suhayl bin 'Amr &> : That is a cowardly opinion.

Muhdjirin and Ansar 4* : We fought with Rasulullah S and with small numbers
defeated great armies. Allah has promised you victory and commanded you with
patience. Only patient ones are promised goodness. The Quran says:

Futuhusham

Fight those disbelievers closest to you and let them find you
fierce against them. [9:123]

And you know that we are already in enemy territory while they are thirsty for our
blood.

'Abdullah bin 'Umar 4b : By Allah! I will not abandon fighting and killing the
Disbelievers and will not sheath my sword. Whoever wishes to may return, but
remember that whoever flees from this great task can never flee from Allah.

'Amr 4b was pleased with what the Makkans and Ibn 'Umar 4* said and exclaimed,
"O son of al-Faruq (i.e. 'Umar al-Faraq 4b), you have fulfilled my wishes and your
tongue has expressed what is in my heart. I wish to send an advance-force of 1 ,000
youths under your command to ascertain the position and condition of their outlying
forces and so that you can tell us how to fight the enemy."

Ibn 'Umar 4i> : Do this. My life is not so precious to me that I refrain from spending
it in Allah's Path.

'Amr 4* had a flag made for him and sent him off with 1,000 horsemen from Banu
Kilab, Taif and Thafiq. Ibn 'Umar 4b travelled for the rest of the day and the whole
night. In the morning, he saw dust rising in the distance. He said, "This dust foretells
of an army. I think that this is the Roman Reconnaissance." He halted the army there.
A group of bedouins said, "Permit us to go and investigate this dust-cloud."

Ibn 'Umar 4b replied, "I do not consider it appropriate to split up for as long as we
are uncertain as to what this is."

The cloud approached and then dispersed to reveal the Roman Reconnaissance of
10,000 horsemen which Rubius had sent ahead to investigate the Muslims. Ibn
'Umar 4b said, "Give them no respite but attack them. After all, that is why you came
here. Allah will help you against them. Remember that Paradise lies beneath the
shadow of swords."

The Muslims proclaimed, "Allahu Akbar! La ilaha illallah Muhammadur
Rasulullah!" The very trees, stones and beasts replied to their cry. They
immediately launched an attack- the first being Tkrama then Suhayl, then Dahhak
bin Sufyan 4> roaring his challenge.

The Muhajirin and Ansar *& then attacked. The two armies clashed, sword and spear
doing their work.

Part 1: Damascus

Ibn 'Umar <& narrates:

During the battle, I saw a bulky Roman horseman riding at the right and left flanks.
It appeared to me that he must be the commander, although signs of fright of battle
and cowardice were plainly visible on his face. His fat bulk gave him the appearance
of a drunk, angry camel. I thrust my spear forward causing his horse to move back.
I then held my spear back which made him think that I was fleeing and encouraged
him to attack me. I put aside my spear, and drawing my sword, hacked at his spear.
The spear-point fell off leaving him with a bare stick and so I struck a second blow.
By Allah! I thought I had hit a rock and when a ringing sound reached my ears, I
thought that my sword had broken. However, this was not so and it was as intact as
before. The severity of the blow slaughtered the enemy of Allah and I struck again at
bis shoulder- vein until he fell and I took off his armour. When the Disbelievers saw
their leader fallen and slain, they became frightened and the Muslims began slaying
them energetically. Congratulations to Dahhak bin Sufyan and Harith bin Hisham <$>
who fought solely for Allah's pleasure. During the battle, I was entrapped in a
difficult situation, but Allah soon granted the Muslims victory. Many Disbelievers
were killed or captured.

The Muslims gathered all the booty together and then said to each other, "We do not
know how Allah has dealt with Abdullah bin 'Umar." Some said, "He has been
killed." Someone said, "No, he has been captured." Some said, "Whatever Allah has
decreed for him will be good due to his ascetism and worship." Someone said, "If
Ibn 'Umar has been lost then this victory is not worth a strand of hair."

I was standing behind a hillock hearing all this and then shouted, "La ilaha illallah
Muhammadur Rasulullah," and emerged wearing my flag. They turned to me and
asked, "O commander, where were you?"

I replied, "I was fighting the enemy commander." Everyone made du'a for me and
said, "Allah granted this victory through your blessing."

I said, "No, it is your good fortune."

The Muslims gathered the booty which included horses, weapons and money and
600 captives. The following seven Muslims were martyred: (1) Suraqah bin 'Adi; (2)
Nawfal bin 'Amir; (3) Said bin Qays; (4) Salim, the freed slave of ' Alim bin Badr al-
Yambarlu'i; (5) Abdullah bin Khuwaylid al-Mazini; (6) Jabir bin Rashid al-Hadrami;
(7) Aws bin Salamah al-Hawazini.

Ibn 'Umar 4k led the Salatul Janazah and they were buried.

Futuhushdm

The army cheerfully returned to 'Amr bin al-As 4a and reported to him. He was
greatly pleased and thanked Allah. Then he called the prisoners and said, "Who
amongst you knows 'Arabic?"

Three Syrians admitted to knowing 'Arabic and so he asked them about their army
and commander. They replied, "O 'Arabs, Heraclius has sent Rubius against you
with an army of 100,000 men and has instructed him to prevent anyone from
entering Aylah. Rubius's army is hastening, hoping to reach here by tonight. There is
none in the Roman Empire equal to him in the art of warfare. He is most capable of
taking you on and will destroy you all."

'Amr 4* : I hope that Allah will slay him just as his companions have been slain.

He then presented them with Islam but none accepted, so he turned to the Muslims
and said, "The Roman army will soon be arriving in Syria to take revenge. If we
release these captives, they will join the Roman army. Therefore, they will all be
killed. Be prepared for it is most probable that the enemy is coming against us. If they
confront us, then we will make life difficult for them. If they do not face us their
power will decrease and if we advance against them then I have firm faith in Allah
that He will grant us a victory such as that which He just gave before. Faith should
always be kept in Him."

Abu ad-Darda & narrates:

That night we encamped there and in the morning we marched but a short distance
when we saw the enemy approaching carrying nine crosses with 10,000 horsemen
under each cross. When the two armies neared each other, we saw Rubius, who
looked like a stallion, organising his army. 'Amr 4& too was organising his army. He
put the right-flank under Dahhak bin Sufyan 4fc, the left-flank under Sa'id bin Khalid
4», the rear-guard under Abu ad-Darda &>, while he himself stood with the Muhajirin
and Ansar *$> at the centre. He ordered every Muslim to start reciting the Quran and
said, "Allah is testing you in this virtuous deed so be patient in the face of difficulty
and hope for reward and Paradise."

Then he lined the men in war-formation. From a distance Rubius was observing the
Muslim army, seeing that their formation was such that rein was touching rein,
stirrup touching stirrup as if they were a strong fortress, and every soldier was
reciting the Quran. Then he saw light shining on their horses' foreheads. This he took
as an omen of his defeat and a Muslim victory and sensed terror in the heart of every

Part 1: Damascus

Roman at the Muslims. He awaited to see what the Muslims would do and his pride
was shattered.

Abu ad-Darda 4t> narrates:

The first to go forward from the Muslims was Sa'id bin Khalid bin Sa'Td & who
shared a common mother with 'Amr bin al-'As ^. He shouted, "Is there any
challenger?" and attacked them right and left. He slew many of them and overcame
their champions. Then he attacked a second time, penetrating their ranks and
wreaking havoc. Eventually they gathered to attack him and martyred him. The
Muslims, especially 'Amr 4», were grief-stricken. He said, "O no! O no! By Allah!
O Sa'id, you have shown how to sacrifice life in the Path of Allah. O brave Muslims,
who amongst you are brave enough to join me in an attack so that I can taste my fate
and meet Sa'id?" Dahhak bin Sufyan, Thul Kala al-Himyari, 'Ikramah bin Abi Jahl,
Harith bin Hisham, Mu'ath bin Jabal, Abu ad Darda, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar, Wasid bin
Warim, Nawfal, Sayf bin 'Abbad al-Hadrami, Salim bin 'Ubayd, the Muhajirin, the
veterans of Badr etc. immediately replied, "We are present."

Ibn 'Umar <& narrates:

We were seventy youths who charged so vigorously that we soon neared the enemy.
However, they were like a mountain of iron and did not concern themselves about us.
When we saw their firmness, we shouted at each other, "Cut down their mounts, for
besides this we see no other way to destroy them." So we speared the bellies of the
horses which then fell and so they attacked us. We, in fact the whole Islamic army,
responded to their attack. Our force compared to theirs was like a white mark on a
black camel. Our slogan was, "There is no deity but Allah. O Rabb, help the Ummah
of Muhammad, salutations and peace be upon him."

Abu ad-Darda £> narrates:

We were so busy fighting that we did not even recite war-poems. So tumultuous was
the battle that striking a blow, we could not be sure if a Muslim or a Disbeliever was
struck. Although few in number, we remained firm-footed, placing our trust in Allah.
Every Muslim struck with his sword, saying firmly from his heart, "O Allah, help the
Ummah of Muhammad, peace and salutation upon him and his family, against those
who have taken a partner with you."

Futuhusham

Ibn 'Uinar 4$> narrates:

The battle continued until noon. I was reciting the du'a which Rasulullah S had
taught and when I looked towards the sky, I saw gates. From the gates there emerged
horsemen dressed in white carrying green banners with shiny points. A proclaimer
announced, "O Ummah of Muhammad S, Allah has sent help to you."

I said that this victory was due to the blessing of the du'a of Rasulullah S.

By the Ka'bah's Rabb! In a short while I saw the Romans fleeing in confusion and
the Muslims pursued them. An announcer proclaimed victory. Because our horses
were faster, we managed to kill over 10,000 men. We pursued them until nightfall.
'Amr 4&> was overjoyed with this victory and his heart remained with us during the
pursuit in Palestine.

'Amr bin 'Itab narrates:

At that moment, I saw 'Amr bin al-'As 4& carrying the flag in his hand and his spear
was hanging from his shoulder. He was clasping his hands saying, "May Allah return
what has been lost to that person who returns my people to me." When the 'Arabs
returned he said, "Whoever made effort and underwent difficulty for Allah's
pleasure has pleased Allah. Was this victory which Allah granted you not enough that
you had to go and chase them?" The Muslims replied, "We did not chase them for
booty, but for Jihad."

When they returned they were without worry, but when they started looking at each
other they discovered 130 missing, including Sayf bin 'Abbad al-Hadrami, Nawfal
bin Darim, Salim bin Ruwaym, Ashab bin Shaddad, some Yamanis and bedouins of
Madinah. This saddened 'Amr <#> but after thinking, he said to himself, "O 'Amr,
Allah intends some good for them but you reject this."

Then after the athan and iqamah, all those Salah which were missed due to the
battle were performed.

Ibn 'Umar <*> narrates:

By Allah! Due to fatigue, very few performed Salah behind 'Amr 4*, most prayed at
their own places. Booty was also little. We then slept in our tents. In the morning,
'Amr bin al-'As called out the athan and, after the Salah, ordered the booty and
bodies of the martyrs to be gathered. So the people started searching and gathered
130 martyrs, but could not find the body of Sa'id bin Khalid. 'Amr started searching

Part 1: Damascus

himself and then found him in a place where horses had continuously trampled the
corpse, shattering the bones into small pieces. Seeing this, he began to weep
profusely and said, "O Sa'id, may Allah, the Most Merciful of those who show
mercy, have mercy upon you. I made a promise to Him but you fulfilled it." He put
him with the other martyrs and ordered them to be buried, and then all the Muslims
performed Salatul Janazah. (Sa'id^was 16- 18years old- translator's note). 'Amr
* then ordered the booty to be brought to him and wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah bin
Jarrah...

9) 'Amr's & letter to Abu 'Ubaydah &

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

From : 'Amr bin al-As

To : The Trustworthy One of the Ummah, Abu 'Ubaydah

I praise Allah besides whom there is no other deity and send
salutations on His Prophet. I had arrived in Palestine and
fought against a Roman army of 100,000 men under the
command ofRubius. Allah granted us such a victory that 11, 000
Romans were slain. 130 Muslims were granted martyrdom and
have been buried in that part of Palestine conquered at my
hands. If needed I can join you. Convey my saldm to all
Muslims. Was-saldm 'Alaykum wa rahmatulldhi wa barakdtuhu.

'Amr & sent this letter with Abu 'Amir ad-Dawsi. At that time, Abu 'Ubaydah & was
at the border and had not yet entered Syria but had divided the army as per Abu
Bakr's 4s> instructions. When Abu 'Amir came, he thought that he was Abu Bakr's •$>
messenger and so he asked him, "Abu 'Amir, in what state have you left the land?"

Abu 'Amir : All is well and there is additional good news - this letter is from 'Amr
bin al-'As describing the victory Allah granted at his hands.

Abu 'Ubaydah & read the letter and immediately fell down in prostration out of
thanks.

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Amir : By Allah! Good, pious people have been martyred. Amongst them is
Sa'id bin Khalid bin Sa'id.

Sa'id's 4fe father, Khalid 4&, was also present. He became bewildered and shrieked.
He was so grieved that all the Muslims too began crying. Khalid 4& then prepared his
horse and mounted it intending to visit his son's grave in Palestine. Abu 'Ubaydah <&
asked, "Where are you going, Khalid? You are one of the pillars of the Muslims."

Khalid 4& replied, "I intend visiting Sa'id's grave and hope to join him too."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& remained silent and then wrote the following letter to 'Ann:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Abii Bakr4e> has given you orders. If he has ordered you to join
me, then come. If he has ordered you to remain where you are
then stay there. Convey my saldm to all the Muslims.

Was-saldmu 'alayka wa rahmatulldhi wa barakdtuhu.

He then gave the letter to Khalid bin Sa'id 4& who went with Abu ' Amr ad-Dawsi to
'Amr's .#> army.

10) Battle of Banu Salif Hillock

Khalid <& made salam to 'Amr 4& and weeping, gave him the letter. 'Amr ^ went
forward, shook his hands and seated him with honour. Thereafter, he consoled him
with regard to his son and advised him to have patience.

Khalid 4*> '■ Did you people see that Sa'id reddened his spear and sword with the
blood of Disbelievers?

Muslims : Yes, he fought bravely and really made Jihad. He was not deficient in any
way.

He then asked about the location of his grave, to which he went. He stood at its side
and said, "O my son, may Allah grant me patience with regard to you. Surely we
belong to Allah and to Him we return. By Allah! If he grants me the necessary
strength arid courage, I will definitely avenge you. I trust in Allah that He will reward
you well."

Part 1: Damascus

Then he said to 'Amr 4&, "I wish to go searching the Disbelievers in a night-raid.
Perhaps booty will be gained or enemy soldiers met who can be killed in revenge."

'Amr & said, "May my mother be sacrificed for you, my brother. Fighting will begin
very soon. When it breaks out, you can fight whole-heartedly and not spare a single
enemy."

Khdlid 4» : I take an oath that whether anyone joins me or not, I will certainly go.

He then prepared his battle-gear intending to go alone but 300 young horsemen from
the Himyar tribe went to 'Amr * and said, "Permit us to go with Khalid." He gave
permission, so they left that very day. When they arrived at a meadow, they decided
to encamp there so that the horses could graze and then they would travel at night.
Suddenly Khalid <&> saw some old men in the fissure of a high mountain and said to
his men, "I suspect that they are enemy spies. It should not be that the enemy
descends upon us."

They replied, "They are on top of the mountain while we are here in an open field.
How do we reach them?"

Khalid & said, "Alright, you stay here until I return."

He then dismounted, tied his turban, strapped his sword to his shoulder and said, "We
can assume that they have not yet seen us, because if they had seen us, they would
not have stayed. Whoever wishes to sacrifice his life in the Path of Allah should do
as I do." Ten men got ready and went with him to the mountain. When they reached
the Disbelievers they were still in their place. Khalid 4» exclaimed in a loud voice,
"Catch them! May Allah bless your courage." The Muslims pounced upon them,
killing two and capturing four. Khalid questioned them and they replied, "We are
inhabitants of Dayrul Faqi', Jami'ah and Kafr al-'Azizah. Since the 'Arabs invaded
our land, we have experienced great hardship and so most people have fled and taken
refuge in forts. We came to take refuge here considering this mountain safe. We
climbed to the top to ascertain conditions when you came and caught us."

Khdlid 4b : Where is the Roman army?

Christians : They have reached Ajnadayn and have been placed under the governor
of Palestine in order to protect Jerusalem. The army as well as refugees have
gathered at Ajnadayn and some soldiers have come to us to gather army supplies.
They have taken cattle and mules as beasts of burden but fear that the 'Arabs will
attack. Besides this, we know nothing except that there is no doubt that they have
gone out today to gather supplies.

Futuhushdm

Khdlid 4b : By the Rabb of the Ka'bah! That is booty. O Lord of all the worlds, help
us against those people. What road are they taking?

Christians : This very road which you are on because this is the wide road and they
have gathered the supplies at a sand-hill called Tall Bani Salif (Banu Salif s Hillock).

Khdlid 4= '■ What do you say about Islam and what are your beliefs?

Christians : We only know about Christianity. We are mere farmers. Killing us will
not benefit you in any way.

Khdlid 4b : They should be released.

Muslims : They should be released on condition that they take us to the supplies.

They agreed to this and walked ahead. When they reached the road, Khalid & sent
someone to fetch all the men who were left behind in the field. When all had
gathered, they moved quickly with the four Christians guiding them. When they
approached the hillock, they saw the Romans loading the supplies on beasts while
600 horsemen were stationed around the hillock. Khalid & called out to the Muslims,
"Remember that Allah has promised you help against the enemy, and remember that
Jihad has been made compulsory upon you. The enemy is in front of you. Hope for
reward and make full effort. Listen carefully to what Allah says:

p j>* f&i*. - i - . ^- \ '»* ^ -ft i i -^l* ,

Verily Allah loves those who fight in His Path in rows as if they
are a single solid structure. [61:4]

I am now going to attack them. You also attack, but none should overtake his
companion."

Huthafah bin Sa'id narrates:

When the Romans faced us for combat, the farmers and slaves who were with the
cattle, fled. The battle ensued for some time. Thul Kala' al-Himyari 4b addressed his

Part 1: Damascus

tribe, "O people of Himyar, the gates of Heaven are open. Paradise is adorned for
you. The virgin damsels of Paradise await you."

A Roman was encouraging his troops. Khalid •&> recognised him to be the
commander because of his splendid armour and mount. He went towards him and
shouted threats so loudly that the enemy became frightened. Khalid 4» said, "I am
avenging Sa'id" and thrust his spear so hard that the Roman collapsed like an iron
wall. There was no soldier of Khalid 4b who did not kill a Roman horseman.

We killed 320 horsemen while the rest fled in defeat, leaving behind money,
equipment, mules, Turkish horses and supplies, which we seized in accordance with
Allah's command. Khalid 4b fulfilled his promise and released the farmers. Taking
the booty, he returned to 'Amr bin al-'As 4b who rejoiced at Khalid & and the
Muslim's safe return with booty. He wrote a report on the battle to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b
and wrote also to Abu Bakr 4» about the victories and all the intelligence gathered on
the Romans and sent it with Abu 'Amir ad-Dawsi.

When Abu 'Amir gave Abu Bakr 4h the letter, he read it out loud. The Muslims were
overjoyed and shouted, "There is no deity but Allah! Allah is the greatest!"

Abu Bakr 4* then asked about Abu 'Ubaydah 4b. AM 'Amir replied, "He is still
encamped at the border and has not entered Syria. He heard that Caesar Heraclius has
gathered a vast army at Ajnadayn and the Muslims fear defeat." From this Abu
Bakr 4b understood that Abu 'Ubaydah 4*> was too soft to fight the Romans so he
consulted the Muslims about replacing him with Khalid bin al-Walid <&. When they
replied, "This is indeed more appropriate," he wrote the following letter of
appointment to Khalid 4b:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

From : 'Abdullah al- 'Atiq bin AM Quhdfah

To : Khalid bin al-Walid

As-Saldmu 'Alaykum

I praise Allah besides whom there is no other deity and send
salutations upon His Prophet. I appoint you as commander of
the Muslim armies and command you to fight the Romans.

Futuhushdm

Hasten to search for Allah 's pleasure, slay the enemies and
include yourself amongst those who fought in the Path of Allah.

X* , >z -

O you who believe! Shall I show you such a trade which will
save you from a painful punishment? [61:10]

You are in command of Abu 'Ubaydah and his army.
Was-saldmu Alayka

11) Khalid 4& crosses the desert

Abu Bakr «j» gave the letter to Najm bin Mafrah al-Kinani who mounted his camel
and made for 'Iraq. Khalid bin al-Walid ■* was close to conquering Qadisiyah when
he received the letter. Upon reading it he said, "To obey Allah and the Khalifah of
Rasulullah S is necessary." He left that very night taking the 'Ayn at-Tamr road and
wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah <&> to dismiss him and inform him of his coming to Syria,

"Abu Bakr has put me in charge of the armies of Islam. Do not move from
your place until I arrive. Was-saldmu 'Alayka."

'Amir bin Tufayl ad-Dawsi, a brave Muslim soldier, was sent with this letter to Syria.

When Khalid 4& reached as-Samawah he said, "O people, water is scarce in this
desert and should not be drunk too much. What is your advice?"

Rdfi ' bin 'Umayrah at-Tdi : O commander, it would be well if you act upon my
opinion.

Khalid 4fc : May Allah guide you - implement whatever it is.

So he kept thirty camels thirsty for seven days and then gave them water, tied their
mouths and mounted the camels and took the horses unladen. When they encamped,
ten camels were slaughtered and the water that emerged from their slit bellies was
filled in leather bags. When the water cooled down, it was given to the horses while
the humans ate the meat. This was done at each encampment until the last camel (of

Part 1: Damascus

the thirty) was finished and two stages of the journey were traversed without water.
The lack of water made Khalid 4s> very restless and fearing their destruction, he said,
"O Rafi', the army is on the verge of death. Do you know where water can be
obtained?" Rafi' was looking around and said, "O commander, tell me when we
reach Qaraqir and Sawa."

They hastened until most reached Qaraqir and Sawa and some were left behind.
When Rafi' was told, he became very happy. He removed the edge of his turban from
above his eyes, took his mount and roamed right and left. Everyone encircled him
and went with him until he reached an Arak tree and shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" so the
Muslims too started shouting, "Allahu Akbar!" He said, "Dig here." They started
digging when all at once a spring gushed forth. The army encamped there and
thanked Allah. They drank and gave the camels to drink. Then they sent water-filled
leather bags by camel to those who were left behind. This restored their energy and
so they were able to join the others.

They rested there for a while and then hurried on until, when one day's travel was
left, they found at Arakah a way-station built on the road. There were sheep and
camels there. The Muslims searched for the shepherd to question him. They found
him drinking wine while a manacled 'Arab was sitting nearby, whom they realised to
be 'Amir bin Tufayl &. Khalid 4s was quickly informed. He rushed there on
horseback and smiled when he saw Ibn Tufayl. He said, "O Ibn Tufayl, how did you
end up caught like this?" Ibn Tufayl **> replied, "O commander, I came to this way-
station because I was suffering from thirst and heat. I wanted milk from this man but
saw him drinking wine. So I rebuked him, 'O enemy of Allah, you drink wine when
it is forbidden.' 'O commander,' he replied to me, 'This is water not wine. Come
down to me and smell it so that you can be sure that it is not wine. If it is wine then
you can punish me how you like.' I dismounted my she-camel to smell what it was
when suddenly he pulled out a stick from under his armpit and hit me so hard that
my skull cracked. When I turned, he pounced on me and, tying me with a rope, said,
'It appears that you are of the men of Muhammad bin 'Abdullah. I am keeping you
until you can be taken to my chief.' I said, 'Who can your chief from amongst the
'Arabs be?' He replied, 'Qadh bin Wathilah.' Sir, I have been in this condition for
three days now. Whenever he drank wine, he seated me in front of him and threw the
dregs on top of me."

Khalid 4» became so enraged that he pounded the man's head with his sword-hilt and
killed him. The Muslims confiscated the sheep and camels, dug up the foundation of
the way-station and freed Ibn Tufayl 4s>. Khalid & asked him, "Where is my letter?"
He replied, "Tucked away in a fold of my turban. Nobody knew of it." Khalid * said,

Futuhushdm

"Take it immediately to Abu 'Ubaydah and stay alert." So he mounted and went
towards Syria. Khalid 4> ordered the army to march on.

Arakah was a dangerous place for travellers from Iraq. There the Romans would
collect taxes from murderous brigands and used to appoint a governor to reside there.
When the Muslims arrived, Khalid «#& ordered them to confiscate all wealth in the
place and the outskirts, and this was done. The inhabitants took refuge in a fort where
there lived a Roman sage. Amongst other sciences he had studied the prophecies of
war. When he saw the Muslims he turned pale and said, "I take oath by your religion!
The time has come." The people asked him, "What time?"

He replied, "These people have been mentioned in the prophecies. It is written that
the first flag to come here from 'Iraq will be a victorious flag. The destruction of the
Romans will be at hand. Examine them carefully - if their flag is black, the leader is
broadly built, tall, fleshy, broad shouldered, strong in appearance, pox-marked in the
face and wheat-coloured, then know that he will conquer Syria." They saw that that
was his exact description so they went to the governor and said, "You know that the
sage, Samuel, never utters a word without wisdom and we have seen with our very
own eyes whatever he described to us. We feel that we should make peace with the
'Arabs in order to protect our wealth, children and households." He replied, "Let me
think until morning comes."

So the governor went home passing the whole night pondering over the issue. He was
a highly intelligent man and so examining all factors, said to himself, "If I oppose the
citizens it is possible that they seize me and hand me over to the 'Arabs. I know with
certainty that a small 'Arab force defeated Rubiusin Palestine because terror of the
'Arabs is so embedded in the hearts of the Romans that it will never leave."

In the morning he summoned the citizenry and asked, "What do you intend?" They
replied, "We wish to make peace with the 'Arabs and stay here in our city." He said,
"I am but one of you and cannot oppose you." A widely travelled and experienced
man was sent to Khalid 4t> to offer peace. He accepted and spoke to him gently and
politely in the hope that when the people of Sakhnah, Hawran, Palmyra and al-
Qaraytayn heard of the peace, they would also accept Islamic rule. He said, "I am
making peace on the conditions that I shall withdraw my army from here, that
whoever wishes to join Islam will be welcomed and whoever stays on his religion
will have to pay Jizyah."

Khalid 4b levied 2,000 dirhams and 1,000 dinars on them and signed a treaty. Before
he even left there, the people of Sakhnah came to make peace. When the people of
Palmyra heard about this, their governor, Karkar, gathered them and said, "I have

Part 1: Damascus

been informed that the 'Arabs have peacefully taken over Arakah and Sakhnah. I
have heard from my own men that the 'Arabs are peaceful, just and good natured
men who deplore wickedness and corruption. Our fort is quite secure and none can
penetrate it, but there is fear that our orchards and plantations will be ruined. I
therefore suggest that we make peace with them. If our people are victorious then we
will annul the treaty and if the 'Arabs are victorious we will be safe." This pleased
the citizens and they prepared a feast.

Khalid •$> arrived and they stood to serve and welcome him. He thanked them and
levied three Uqiyah (367.4 g) of silver and gold and signed the peace treaty. After
making peace with Sakhnah and Palmyra, Khalid bought provisions and animal
fodder and then advanced on Hawran.

In the meantime, 'Amir bin Tufayl * brought the letter to Abu 'Ubaydah 4&. Upon
reading it he smiled and said, "All praise belongs to AMh alone. I gladly obey Allah
and the Khalifah of Rasulullah S. He then informed the Muslims of his dismissal and
Khalid 's 4&> appointment.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fc had sent Shurahbil bin Hasanah <$ to BusrS with 4,000 horsemen.
Upon arriving there, they pitched their tents. Both the Emperor and ordinary Romans
respected its governor, Romanus. He was a scholar of the previous religious books
and was bulky in physique. The Romans would come from the far-off cities of Syria
to see him and hear his advice and wisdom. At that time 12,000 men were stationed
at Busra. 'Arabs from Yaman and Hijaz would come there to trade. At a special time
of the year Romanus would sit in a chair placed for him so that the people could see
him and benefit from his knowledge, and it was that time of the year when the
Muslim army came. There were many people and upon the army's arrival, tumult
erupted. Romanus quickly mounted his horse and called out to the people who
shouted back. He said, "Be quiet. I am going to the Muslim army to find out what
they want." He went and called out, "O Arabs, I am Romanus, the governor of Busra
and I want to meet your leader." Shurahbil & then came.

Romanus : Who are your people?

Shurahbil <& : We are the Sahabah of Muhammad S, the Messenger of Allah and the
Unlettered Prophet who was prophesied in the Torah and Gospel.

Romanus : What has become of him?

Shurahbil & '■ Abu Bakr Abdullah al-'Atiq bin Abi Quhafah is his successor.

Futuhushdm

Romanus : I take oath by my religion that I know very well that you are on the Truth
and that you will conquer 'Iraq and Syria. However, you are few while we are many.
I will do this favour to you of making peace with you. You return to your land and
we shall not interfere with you. O my 'Arab brother, Abu Bakr is my close friend. If
he were present here, he would never fight against me.

Shurahbil <&> : In matters of religion he had no consideration for his own son and
nephew until they embraced Islam. He has no personal choice in that Allah has
ordered us to wage Jihad. We will not leave until one of three outcomes has been
decided upon. Firstly, you should embrace Islam. Failing that, your second option is
to pay Jizyah. If that is also not acceptable, then we will have to do battle.

Romanus : I take oath by my religion and faith that if the matter were in my hands,
then I would never fight you because I know you to be upon the Truth. The Romans
have gathered. Let me go to them and make them understand and see what they feel.

Shurahbil 4$ : Very good, but hurry for what we have told you about Islam, Jizyah or
war still stands.

Romanus returned to his people and said, "O upholders of Christianity and sons of
baptism water, the arrival of the 'Arabs heralds the loss of your wealth and the death
of your leaders and champions. This has been foretold in your scriptures and it is
imminent. You do not have Rubius's army nor his bravery. A handful of 'Arabs
destroyed him in Palestine, massacred his champions and the rest fled in defeat. I
have been informed that a man called Khalid bin al-Walid is invading from 'Iraq. He
has conquered Arakah, Sakhnah, Palmyra and Hawran and is swiftly heading here. I
therefore suggest that we render Jizyah to the 'Arabs and place ourselves under their
protection in order to avert this disaster."

The Romans were so infuriated at his words that they wanted to kill him, so he
quickly said, "I was merely testing your loyalty to Christianity. I am with you and
will go first to confront them."

The Romans prepared for battle and donned leather armour. Seeing this, Shurahbil 4*
addressed his troops, "May Allah have mercy on you. Rasulullah S has said that
Paradise lies beneath the shadow of swords and that the most beloved drop unto
Allah is a drop of blood shed in Allah's Path and a tear-drop shed out of fear of Allah.
Fight in all earnest and fire your arrows simultaneously so that they are not wasted."

Part 1: Damascus

' i _ i

jow w/?o believe, fear Allah as He should be feared and do
not die except as Muslims. [3:102]

Ruwaym al-'Absi narrates:

I was with Shurahbil's 4fc army. 12,000 youths attacked us expecting victory.
Compared to them, we were like a white mark on a black camel. We persevered like
the man who knows he is about to die. The enemy were convinced of victory. I then
saw Shurahbil raising his hands to the sky making du'a, "O Ever-living! O
Maintainer of all! O Creator of the Heavens and Earth! O Possessor of Majesty and
Nobility! O Allah, you have promised us the conquest of Syria and Persia through
the tongue of your Prophet. O Allah, help those who believe you to be One against
those who deny You. O Allah, help us against the Disbelievers."

By Allah! He had hardly finished his du'a when Allah helped us. The enemy had
encircled us from all four sides and were expecting imminent victory when
suddenly a dust-cloud arose from the direction of Hawran. As it neared, horses could
be distinguished and then a flag. We could see two horsemen, one of whom declared,
"Shurahbil, receive tidings of Allah's Din being helped. I am the well-known
horseman, Khalid bin al-Walid."

The other said, "I am 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr." Then the tribes of Lakhm and
Jutham arrived followed by the rest of the army. Rafi' bin 'Umayrah at-Tai carried
the flag, Ra-yarul 'Uqab (Flag of the Eagle).

The Romans' spirit broke as soon as they heard Khalid's & call. The Muslims
exchanged salam. When Shurahbil 4& gave Khalid 4* salam he said, "O Shurahbil,
did you not know that this is a special time when the people of Syria, Hijaz and 'Iraq
gather here? Roman troops and leaders come here so I cannot understand how it is
that you have entrapped yourself like this?"

Shurahbil 4fe : I did what Abu 'Ubaydah ordered me to do.

Khalid 4fe : He is a simple man who fears Allah. In matters of war, strategy and
sophistication he is inexperienced.

Futuhushdm

He then ordered them to rest and so they encamped and comforted each other.

The next day the Roman army again came. KMlid <$> said to his men, "The people
of Busra think, "Their men and horses must be tired from the journey', and advance
against us. You should place your trust in Allah."

The Muslims armed themselves and mounted their horses. He then put Rafi' bin
'Umayrah at-Tai in charge of the right wing, and Dirar bin al-Azwar bin Tariq al-
Kindi <& over the left wing. Dirar * was a brave young man whose intelligence and
bravery was famous. The infantry was under 'Abdurahman bin Humayd al-Lakhmi.
KMlid * split the advance-force under Musayyab bin 'Utbah and Math'ur bin
Ghanim and said, "When I give the order, jump immediately onto your horses and
attack."

KMlid and 'Abdurahman 4> were advising the army and intended to attack when
suddenly a strong massive horseman (Romanus), on whom gold, silver, silk and
rubies glittered, emerged from the Roman ranks. He stopped in between the two
armies and called out in 'Arabic in a bedouin accent.

Romanus : I am the governor of Busra. None but your leader should come to combat
me.

Khalid <& came forward.

Romanus : Are you the leader?

Khalid ^ : Yes, the Muslims will obey me for as long as I obey Allah. If I should
disobey Him, then my position is lost.

Romanus : I am of the Roman royal class and one of their sages. Truth can never be
hidden from an intelligent man with foresight. I have read in the Scriptures and war
prophecies that God will send a prophet from the Hashim clan of the Quraysh tribe
whose name will be Muhammad.

Khalid 4t> : He is our Prophet.

Romanus : Was any book revealed to him?

Khalid & : Yes, the Quran.

Romanus : Has alcohol been forbidden?

Part 1: Damascus

Khdlid 4» : We punish whoever drinks alcohol, lash a fornicator and stone an
adulterer.

Romanus : Has Salah been made compulsory upon you?

Khdlid 4t : Yes, five times a day

Romanus : Has Jihad been made compulsory?

Khdlid 4» : If Jihad was not made compulsory, then why else should we have come
to fight you?

Romanus : I know that you people are on the Truth and I have great love for you. I
have warned my people so that they can be safe, but they refuse to listen. I greatly
fear for them.

Khdlid <& : You should recite, "I testify that there is no deity besides Allah alone. He
has no partner. And I testify that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger." If you
recite this then we and you share all benefits and loss.

Romanus : I will certainly become a Muslim but I fear that my people will kill me
and enslave my women. However, I shall go to them and warn them. Perhaps Allah
will guide them.

Khdlid 4& : I fear that if you return without fighting me, they may harm you. Let us
pretend to fight each other so that they do not accuse you and then you can return.

So they pretended to fight until Romanus said, "Attack forcefully so that I can flee
the battlefield. Caesar has sent Darian to help and reinforce me. I fear that he will
harm you."

Khdlid 4b '■ Allah will help me against him.

He then violently attacked Romanus who fled to his people and Khalid 4& did not
chase him. The Romans questioned Romanus as to what had occured and so he said,
"O People, the 'Arabs are energetic and clever. You cannot win against them. They
will conquer Syria and the whole Roman Empire. Fear God and obey the 'Arabs.
Enter into their protection just as Arakah, Palmyra and Hawnin have done. I only
desire good for you."

They responded with threats and abuse and would have killed him had it not been for
fear of Caesar's retaliation. They said, "Go home. We will deal with the 'Arabs."

Futuhushdm

Romanus was happy because this was what he wanted. He went home saying to
himself, "Perhaps Allah will grant Khalid victory then I and my family can go with
him."

The Romans then elected Darian and said to him, "When we have finished off the
Muslims, we will take you to Heraclius to petition Romanus 's dismissal and your
appointment because you are more brave and intelligent than him." He said, "What
do you wish from me?" They answered, "We want you to attack the Muslims and kill
their leader. The rest of the army will then flee."

12) Busra conquered

Darian donned his armour and weapons and went to the battlefield challenging
Khalid 4b to fight him. ' Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr •& said to Khalid &, "You are the
commander and the army remains for as long as the commander remains. I will
therefore fight him." So the duel began with both armies watching. After a short
while Darian realised that he could not win, so he fled and managed to escape to the
Roman army because of his faster horse. When questioned, Darian said, "He attacked
me most violently and I could not maintain my position. However, you should all
now attack together." These words made them lose heart. Khalid 4b immediately
sensed this so he, 'Abdurahman bin AM Bakr, Dirar bin al-Azwar, Qays bin
Hubayrah, Shurahbil bin Hasanah, Rafi' bin 'Umayrah, Musayyib bin Najiyah al-
Fazari, 'Abdurahman bin Humayd al-Lakhmi, led the Muslims in an attack. The
Romans now had no choice but to remain steadfast and so advanced against the
Muslims, but Roman heads and blood soon littered the ground. At the city wall,
conches were sounded. The Priests raised a tumult and, looking at the sky, began
praying their prayers of disbelief.

Shurahbil & responded with this du'a, "O Allah, these impure people invoke Your
curse with words of disbelief and call unto a deity besides You. There is no deity but
You. We invoke Your curse with the words of "There is no deity but You' and with
the intercession of Muhammad - salutations and peace be upon him and his family -
against Your Disbelieving enemies."

As he was reciting the du'a the Muslims were saying, "Amin, Amin" and then
attacked all at once. The enemy, fearing the fall of the fort, fled covering the earth
with their corpses. They were so confused that when they reached the city gates, they
began killing each other in the ensuing mayhem. They entered the fort taking refuge
behind its walls and towers. They raised flags and crosses and sent a message to
Heraclius requesting him to send reinforcements.

Part I: Damascus

'Abdullah bin Rafi' narrates:

When they went behind the city walls, we stopped chasing them to assess the army's
condition. Finding men to be missing, we found their bodies lying in the battlefield.
320 men, mostly from Bujaylah and Hamdan were martyred. Amongst the chiefs
Badr bin Hamlah (ally of Thafiq), 'Ali bin Rifa'ah, Mazin bin 'Awf, Sahl bin Nashit,
Jabir bin Murarah, Rabi' bin Hamid and 'Abbad bin Bishr were martyred. Booty was
gathered. Khalid * led the Salatul Janazah and ordered the martyrs to be buried.

One night later 'Abdurahman and Ma'mar bin Rashid and 100 youths were patrolling
the camp when suddenly the horses raised their forelegs and neighed. The Muslims
became alert and began investigating until they spotted a cloaked figure. When
'Abdurahman 4% wanted to seize him, he shouted, "Wait! I am the governor of Busra.
So he arrested him and took him to Khalid 4% who recognised him and laughed.

Romanus : O Commander, my people have reviled me and ordered me to remain at
home or else they will kill me. I stayed at home, but because my house is joined to
the city wall, I managed to escape under cover of darkness and come to you. I wish
that you send some youths with me to capture the city.

Khalid 4* prostrated out of thanks and ordered 'Abdurahman 4% to take 100 men and
go with Romanus.

Dirar bin al-Azwar 4fe narrates:

I was amongst those who entered the city with Romanus. When we reached his
house, he opened the storeroom, distributed weapons and said, "Wear Roman
clothes." We dressed in Roman garb and split into four groups of twenty-five
horsemen each in every direction of the city. 'Abdurahman 4* said, "When you hear
us saying, 'Allahu Akbar' then you too call out 'Allahu Akbar' immediately."

We arrived in our appointed place and awaited the attack.

Reliable narrators state that after 'Abdurahman 4*> appointed their places and he and
Romanus donned their armour, Romanus offered him a sword which he accepted.
Romanus then took him by the hand to the tower where Darian and his companions
stayed. When they approached, the courtiers and guards bunched together. Darian
asked, "Who are you people?"

Romanus : I am Lord Romanus.

Darian : Why have your unlucky feet come here and who is that person with you?

Futuhushdm

Romanus : This is my friend who wishes to meet you.

Darian : You wretch! Who is he?

Romanus : This is 'Abdurahman, the son of the Khalifah of Rasulullah S, who has
come to despatch your soul to the dungeons of Hell!

Darian wanted to attack but instantly lost heart so 'Abdurahman * unsheathed his
sword and struck him violently on the shoulder so that he fell. He then led Romanus
in proclaiming, "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!"

The Muslims heard the raised cries of "Allahu Akbar!" in the four corners of Busra;
the sound which the stones, mountains, trees, birds and Allah-fearing people made
into their melody. All pious people began expressing thanks.

When the Mujahidin started proclaiming, "Allahu Akbar!" their swords began
drinking Roman blood. Khalid & and his men responded by entering the city with
shouts. When the Romans saw their city being invaded they shouted out sounds of
grief. Women and children cried while youths shouted something in their language.
Khalid 4fr asked Romanus to translate. He said that they were begging for safety, so
Khalid 4&> ordered all swords to be immediately sheathed and they obeyed.

In the morning, the people all gathered around Khalid 4b and said, "If only we had
made peace then this would not have befallen us."

Khalid 4& : Whatever the Eternal Distributor distributes must be received and what
Fate is written must come to pass.

Romans : Who guided you in invading our city?

Khalid 4b felt embarrassed to mention Romanus, so Romanus himself got up and
said, "O enemies of Allah and His Messenger, I am the person who performed that
deed for Allah's pleasure as Jihad in His Path."

Romans : Have you left our religion?

Romanus : By Allah! I deny the Cross and those who worship it. Do not associate me
with it. I am pleased to accept Allah as my Rabb, Islam as my Din, Muhammad S as
Prophet and Messenger, the Ka'bah as my direction of prayer, the Quran as Guide
and the Muslims as brothers.

The Christians were furious and tried to discredit him. He sensed this and so said to
Khalid 4&, "I do not intend staying here, but will go with you until Allah grants you

Part 1: Damascus

the conquest of all Syria. Then I will return, for everyone is naturally inclined to his
homeland."

Ma'mar bin Salim narrates from his grandfather, Lujayjah bin Mafrah:

Romanus was with us in every battle. He fought severely against our enemies and
was earnest in the Path of Allah until Allah granted the conquest of all Syria. Then
on Abu 'Ubaydah's & request, the Khalifah 'Umar 4b appointed him as governor of
Busra. He governed for a short while and then went to his Eternal Abode leaving
behind a son who kept his memory fresh.

13) Story of Romanus's wife

After the conquest, Khalid 4b appointed some men to help gather Romanus's
belongings. Upon reaching his home, they found him arguing with his wife who was
demanding a divorce. He said, "What do you want?" She replied, "The leader of your
army will make the decision." So they took her to Khalid & to whom she started
complaining. A Roman who knew 'Arabic translated for them and said that she was
laying a complaint against Romanus. When Khalid 4» asked the cause, she replied,
"I dreamt last night that an extremely handsome man whose face shone like the full
moon came and said, 'The 'Arabs will conquer this and all of Syria and 'Iraq.' I said,
'Who are you?' He replied, 'Muhammad Rasulullah.' He then offered me Islam
which I accepted and then taught me two chapters of the Quran."

Everyone was amazed and Khalid 4* told the translator that she must recite those
chapters. So she recited Surahs al-Fatihah and al-Ikhlas and renewed her declaration
of Islam to Khalid 4b. She said to Romanus, "Become Muslim or divorce me."

Khalid 4b laughed and said, "Pure is He Who guided her."

Then he said to the translator, "Tell her that her husband embraced Islam before her."

This gladdened her.

Khalid 4b then imposed an amount of tax on the people of Busra that was agreeable
to them and after consulting them, appointed a governor of their choice to whom they
could refer all their needs. He then wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b to inform him of the
victory and stated, "I am marching to Damascus. Meet me there."

He then wrote to Abu Bakr 4b:

Futuhushdm

As you commanded, I left for Syria where Allah granted me
victory over Palmyra, Arakah, Hawran, Sakhnah and Busra. At
the time of writing this report, I intend marching on Damascus,
and hope for Allah 's assistance. Convey my saldm to all the
Muslims. Was-saldmu 'alayka wa rahmatulldhi wa barakdtuhu.

14) Romans reinforce Damascus

KMlid <&> sent the two letters and marched on Damascus. When a pass was reached,
he encamped and unfurled the Flag of the Eagle and as a result it is now called
Thaniyatul 'Uqab (Pass of the Eagle). He then marched to Ghawtah where he
encamped near a monastery and to this day that place is called Dayr KMlid (Khalid's
Monastery). There he awaited Abu 'Ubaydah &. Damascus was filled with people
from the surrounding area whose number could not be counted; 12,000 alone were
mounted. The city walls were decorated with flags, crosses and spears.

When Heraclius received intelligence of Khalid's 4e> capture of Arakah, Palmyra,
Hawran, Sakhnah and Busra and his march on Damascus, he gathered his officials
and said, "I warned you from the very beginning, none of you listened. The 'Arabs
have captured Arakah, Palmyra, Hawran, Sakhnah and Busra and are now heading
towards Damascus. If it is lost, it will be an absolute disaster because it is the only
city worthy of being called 'Paradise of Syria'. An army, double the size of the 'Arab
army, will be sent to Damascus but I have to ask who amongst you will face them
and defeat them? Whatever territory he liberates from 'Arab occupation will be under
him and exempt from land-tax." Lord Calius, son of Hanah, a famous and brave
champion from Syria who exhibited his bravery during the Persian invasion of Syria,
said, "I am enough to take them on. I will defeat them and drive them out."

Heraclius gave him a golden cross saying, "Keep this in front of you to gain
victory," and gave him 5,000 men.

Calius took the cross and departed the same day from Antioch. Upon reaching Hims,
he found it to be filled with men and arms. The people came out to welcome him.
The priests and monks were in front burning incense of ambergis and aloe wood.
They carried Bibles on their chests and when they approached, the army recited
'Mass' on them, sprinkled holy water on the general and prayed for his success. They
stayed there for a day and night and then advanced towards Jawsiyah whose
inhabitants similarly came out to welcome them. Then they reached Ba'labakk. The
women were striking their faces in mourning. Calius asked about the cause, to which

Part 1: Damascus

they replied, "The 'Arabs have conquered Arakah, Palmyra, Hawran, and Busra and
they are now heading for Damascus."

Calius replied, "I have received information that the 'Arabs are now at al-Jabiyah. It
amazes me how they have managed to conquer these cities and forts."

Ba'labakkis : Yes, there is an 'Arab force stationed at al-Jabiyah. However, these
places were conquered by a different army coming from 'Iraq under a man called
Khalid bin al-Walid.

Calius : How big is his army?

Ba'labakkis : 1500 men.

Calius : I take oath by my religion that I will cut off his head and hang it on my spear.

He then left for Damascus.

The governor of Damascus, Uriel, was greatly revered by the Romans and had 3,000
cavalry and infantry under him. When Calius reached Damascus, the city elders came
out to welcome him. He read out his letter of appointment to fight the Muslims and
said, "I will fight with you against them and drive your enemies from your city on
condition that Uriel is evicted from the city so that I remain in sole command." They
replied, "Our Lord, how can we do that when the enemy is almost here? Instead of
evicting a leader at such a crucial time, we would rather welcome ten leaders who
could help us against them."

The governor said, "When the 'Arabs arrive, we can take turns of one day each to
fight them. Whoever defeats them will administer the city."

The elders approved of this suggestion and so the decision was made. The two
leaders then went to their separate quarters carrying hatred and enmity for each other
in their hearts.

The Romans would leave daily from al-Jabiyah Gate for a distance of one Farsakh
(5.5km) in anticipation of Abu 'Ubaydah's & army. Instead, Khalid 4& was first
encountered in the direction of the Thaniyah Gate.

Rifa'ah bin Muslim narrates from his grandfather:

I was in the army of Khalid bin al-Walid 4& encamped near the monastery when
suddenly Romans were seen coming like a swarm of locusts. He donned

Futukusham

Musaylamah the Liar's armour, tied his turban around his waist while letting one side
hang and called out, "O people, may Allah have mercy on you for this is a day which
will never be repeated. The enemy cavalry and infantry have arrived, do not spare a
single one of them. Do Allah's work and He will help you if you are patient. Include
yourselves amongst those whose lives Allah has bought. He says:

pi'^lj JL$-*dL»l ^j_j£»£}\ ^j> c£jLil -Oil OJ
4JJI J-rt-wu (j ^j_jjlyjLi 4jj>J I J»^J ^J^jL;

Allah has bought the lives and property of the Believers in
exchange for Paradise - they fight in the path of Allah...

[9:111]

Remember that the army of your brother, Abu 'Ubaydah, is soon to join you."

The Muslims mounted their horses and so the Romans, who had intended to attack
now hesitated. Khalid & organised the army as follows: Rafi' bin 'Umayrah over the
right-wing; Musayyib bin Najiyah al-Fazari over the left-wing; Shurahbil over the
front's right; 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr over the front's left; Salim bin Nawfal &
over the rear-guard while he took charge of the centre. After appointing the generals,
he said to Dirar bin al-Azwar &, "Wage Jihad in the manner of your father and tribe.
Help Allah's Din and He will help you. You will present yourself first for combat.
Fight them with such bravery that their hearts become filled with terror and they
flee."

Dirar * wore dirty clothes and an old turban and mounted on a thin fast filly. He
attacked so furiously that the enemy ranks were thrown into tumult. He slew their
four top horsemen and then, turning to the infantry, killed six. Had the Romans not
showered him with arrows and stones, he would not have returned. Khalid * and the
Muslims thanked him.

'Abdurahman 4&> then donned his armour and advanced for a test of strength. Khalid
4h said, "O Ibn Abi Bakr, terrify the enemy with your attack. Stop only when you
have torn their ranks apart. Allah will bless your strength."

So he attacked in the manner of Dirar 4& and slew enemies before returning. Khalid
4fe then attacked, displaying such exploits with his spear which utterly astonished the

Part 1: Damascus

Romans. Calius realised from his manner that he was the commander of the Islamic
army. He saw that Khalid * had seen all his signs of leadership and the cross above
his head and was therefore heading his way, so he backed away. Khalid *
attempted to reach him, but some Romans came to block him. They threatened him
and fired arrows, but he was relentless in his advance. He rode his horse which was
like lightning flashing in all directions. He continued like this until he killed ten
Romans and then shouted, "Is there any challenger?" but none responded.

He shouted, "Then come in pairs against me!" but none came. He then challenged
four and increased his challenge right up to ten, but none even answered him, so he
said, "Be destroyed! I am but one man alone on a horse. Every soldier in my army is
a warrior equal to me."

15) The Roman generals argue

Some people understood the challenge, while others did not. Uriel went to Calius and
said, "Caesar has appointed you commander of the army to fight the 'Arabs. The
protection of the citizens and the city is your responsibility."

Calius : Your responsibilty is more than mine because you were the governor before
me. Do not delude yourself into thinking that I cannot withdraw without Caesar's
order. Why do you not go and fight the 'Arabs?

Uriel : We have an agreement that one day you will fight and one day I will fight.
Today you go.

Calius : I have already said that you came to this city before me so you go first. I will
fight tomorrow.

The argument became personal and protracted so the people wished to draw lots to
decide which of the two should go out to fight the 'Arabs, but then Calius said, "No,
it is better that we make a united attack so that they stay in awe of us.. We should not
be divided." Uriel responded, "I do not care, do as you please." Calius then thought
that if Heraclius found out about these things, he could be expelled from the court
and even executed. So he changed his mind and insisted on a lottery. His name was
drawn, so Uriel said, "Display such bravery on the battlefield which the 'Arab
leaders displayed. When it is my turn, they will see which of us is braver."

Calius donned his armour, mounted his horse and said to his men, "Focus all your
attention and strength on me. If I am overpowered then come immediately to my aid
and save me."

Futuhushdm

They replied, "Cowardice drips from your words. Perhaps you will come back
safely."

Callus : I am confronting a bedouin who speaks a different language. I wish to speak
to him because precaution is a strong armour. Who amongst you can translate for me?

An intelligent Christian named Sergius, who was highly eloquent, volunteered and
went with him.

16) Sergius's speech to Khalid

Along the way Calius said, "The 'Arabs have a very bold leader. If I am overcome
in battle you will have to help me. In exchange, I will make you my companion and
minister, but do not reveal this secret - 1 shall delay the battle for so long that through
some scheme I will return without fighting. Then when Uriel fights tomorrow he will
be killed and then I will be relieved of him."

Sergius : I know nothing of warfare but can help you with my eloquence. I shall
speak for as long as is possible and will not be deficient. Is that acceptable?

Callus : Alas, you wish me to fall into enemy hands!

Sergius : And you wish to sacrifice me to save yourself. Be fair, if I am killed then
what use are your rewards, honours and gifts to me?

Calius kept quiet and went forward until he neared Khalid &. Rati' bin 'Umayrah
wanted to attack him, but Khalid 4& stopped him, saying, "Stay in your place. I, the
servant of Islam, am here."

Calius said to Sergius, "Ask who they are and what they want. Threaten them with
our power and large army. Find out their intentions."

Sergius : O 'Arab, I wish to describe a parable to you. The comparison between you
and us is like that of someone who owned a flock of sheep and appointed a cowardly,
weak shepherd to watch over them. A lion broke into the pen, anobecause of the
shepherd's cowardice, would come daily and take a sheep. When the sheep were
almost finished and the lion had become accustomed to sheep's blood, the owner
learnt about the shepherd's laziness and cowardice and so replaced him with a brave
youth who would patrol the pen all night long. As per his habit, the lion returned but
the shepherd, who was waiting in ambush, killed him with his spear. Thereafter, no
beast dared attack the sheep. This is also your condition. We have been lax towards

Part 1: Damascus

you because you are an extremely weak, naked, hungry, labouring people. You have
subsisted on stolen food, barley, olive-oil and by sucking dried date-pits. You have
eaten our food since you entered our territory and have become that lion. You have
come as far as you can and done whatever you could. Now Caesar has sent such a
person against you who cannot be compared to any human and who is not concerned
as to who crosses swords with him. He is none other than he who is with me. So
beware lest you end up like the lion killed by the young shepherd. It is merely out of
his compassion and pity for you that he has ordered me to speak to you. Therefore I
am asking you what you want here. You are swimming in a sea whose waves will hit
you until you drown and whose waters will choke you if you drink it. If you are in
charge of this army then from your heart consider peace to be in your best interest
before the lion comes charging from the jungle.

17) Khalid & and Calius duel

Khalid 4& replied, "O enemy of Allah, you dare make an example of us? By Allah!
You should realise that we consider you just as a hunter considers sparrows trapped
in a net, fluttering in all directions to escape. The hunter is neither scared of their
numbers nor does he let any escape. What you said of our city and famine is true, but
Allah has now given us better. Instead of some grains, He has given us wheat, fruit,
refined butter and honey. This land is ours. Our Rabb gave it to us and promised it to
us through the tongue of His Messenger S. As to your question about what we want,
it is one of three things - either accept Islam, pay Jizyah, or fight until Allah decides
the outcome. You praise this wretched Calius but we take him as the lowest of the
low. If he is a pillar of your empire then I am Khalid bin al-Walid, servant of Islam
and conquerer of Palmyra, Arakah, Hawran, Sakhnah and Busra."

Sergius's face changed at hearing this eloquence and went back to Calius who said,
"How sad that you attacked like a lion, then came back afraid."

Sergius replied, "I take oath by my religion that I mistook him for a vagabond but
now find him to be a fighting ram, a killing horseman. This is the leader of a nation
who has fdled the Earth with evil, so advance and attack him." Calius had been
quaking in his saddle like a leaf blowing in the wind since he heard Khalid's 4& name.
He said, "Tell him to postpone the battle until tomorrow."

Sergius replied, "I shall tell him, but I am not sure if he will accept," and turned to
Khalid 4& and said, "O commander of his people, my companion told me to tell you
that you should return to your army and consult them."

Futuhushdm

Khalid^ : O fool, you tell me this when I am the very spirit of war. To escape me is
very difficult.

Then he aimed his spear at Sergius who fled. So he shouted at Calius and attacked
him, but Calius moved back until he neared his camp. Khalid & caught up with him
so he was forced to defend himself. The soldiers also began battling, their spears
flashing brighter than flames. Calius again tried to flee during the heat of the battle,
but realising his intentions, Khalid ^ spurred his horse until they met bridle to
bridle. He disabled his spear and then twirling a small spear smashed it above
Calius's throat shouting, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good
except with Allah's help the Most High, the Most Mighty!"

Then Khalid & grabbed him and pulled him out of his saddle. The Muslims began
shouting, "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!", while the hearts of the Christians quivered.
The Muslims ran to Khalid &, who handed his prisoner over to them saying, "Tie his
hands behind his back."

Calius began raving, so they asked Romanus, "What is he wittering?"

Romanus : He says, "Why do you tie me up when I am prepared to accept what your
commander has said. Do you not want Jizyah? I will fulfil all your wishes."

When Khalid ^.was informed, he said, "Keep him firmly tied because he is their
leader." Then he dismounted and mounted his horse, Shahri, intending to attack the
Romans. The governor of Palmyra had given Shahri to him. Dirar bin al-Awzar &
protested, "You are tired from fighting the Roman general. Rest and permit me to go
and fight."

Khalid •& replied, "Rest is in the Hereafter. One will be able to relax on the Day of
Judgement according to the effort done today," and left for the battlefield.

Calius shouted, "I beg you in the name of your prophet to come here. I want to tell
you something."

The Muslims shouted out, so Khalid & returned and asked Romanus to question him.
After speaking to him, he said, "He says, T am a courtier of Heraclius who sent me
here with 5,000 cavalry. When I arrived here, Uriel, the governor of Damascus,
argued with me. If he comes to you in battle, you should not let him live. If he does
not come, challenge him to come and kill him, for he is the leader. If you kill him
Damascus is yours. Will you do this?' "

Part 1: Damascus

Khalid^e : Romanus, tell him that I am killing whoever ascribes a partner unto Allah
and attributes a son unto Him.

Then he left for the battlefield reciting this war-poem:

r^b ^-J*** i»yJ» J*M J^j <*jji xs u ^s^ji <jj ^

f-^^'j V-H^ 1 •**** (^r* J-»vt p < : » : : t-^r— «/-iJ p i < A >

my Master! For every blessing I praise You,

O Bountiful One! For all you give I thank You.

After disbelief and darkness You have favoured us,

Taken us out of Doubts and Wrong 's darkness.

Through Muhammad You saved us and removed what is

blameable,

And made us assisted, guided and honourable.

You have named us the best of all nations,

So fulfil our intentions.

Let the Disbelievers taste

Their punishment with all haste!

When Sergius reached the Romans after fleeing from Khalid 4fc, he was quivering, so
they asked him, "What is chasing you that has terrified you so much?

Sergius : Death! Such a death which cannot be overcome. A lion which cannot be
fought - the Muslim leader who went into battle taking his Lord's name. Wherever
we went, he was never lax in killing us. It was only with great effort that I managed
to escape. It is better that we make peace before he comes with his whole army to
attack.

Romans : O wretch! You come running away from your defeat and now want to
terrify us.

Futuhushdm

They would have killed him but when they saw Calius arrested, they turned to Uriel
and said, "Caesar's courtier is arrested through no fault of his own. You had an
agreement amongst yourselves that he would fight one day and you the next, so now
you will have to fight and kill that bedouin."

Uriel : Bear in mind that if he is killed another 'Arab will replace him, but if I am
killed, you will be a flock of sheep without a shepherd. So it is better that we all go
to attack.

Romans : We will never do that until the Day of Judgement, for thousands of lives
would be sacrificed and thousands of women would become widows.

Friend of Calius : Your rank with Caesar is not equal to Calius's. The two of you had
an agreement in which he fulfilled his side. Now that he is captured, you will have
to go or else we will fight you.

Uriel : It is a pity that you think that I have not gone out of fright of a bedouin. I am
going now and both armies will see who is the better warrior.

18) Khalid & and Uriel duel

Uriel prepared his weapons, donned his armour, mounted a fast horse and set out to
meet Khalid <&.

Uriel : O my 'Arab brother, come nearer so that I can tell you something.

Khalid 4b (angry) : O enemy of Allah, you come so that I can break your head.

Uriel : 'Arab brother, I am coming.

So he came closer to Khalid 4s, who sensed his fear and did not attack him.

Uriel : You have a whole army, but still such a being like yourself comes for
combat? If you are overcome, then they will be like sheep without a shepherd.

Khalid 4* '■ O enemy of Allah, did you not see how two of my soldiers attacked your
army? Had I not prevented them, then with Allah's help, they could have wiped your
army off the face of the Earth. Every one of my soldiers considers death to be a
blessing and life worthless... but who are you?

Uriel : What! You have never heard of me? I am the horseman of all horsemen, the
defeater of the Turkish army and the Juramiqah.

Part 1: Damascus

Khdlid 4s> : And your name is?

Uriel : The same as the angel of death, Uriel.

Khdlid 4b (laughing) : O enemy of Allah, your namesake is in search of you to send
you to Hell and is therefore remembering you!

Uriel : I ask you in the name of your religion, what did you do with Calius?

Khdlid 4b : He is sitting there with his hands tied behind his back.

Uriel : He brings nothing but disaster. What has stopped you from killing him?

Khdlid 4b : Because I want to kill you two together.

Uriel : Will you accept 1,000 Mithqal (4.4 kg) gold, ten sets of silk clothing and five
horses in exchange for giving me his head?

Khdlid 4» : That is the price of his blood. What is the price of your life?

Uriel (furious) : What will you take?

Khdlid 4b : Your disgraced head as Jizyah!

Uriel : 'Arab brother, the more we respect you, the more you disgrace us and
increase in sarcasm. Prepare for attack.

Khalid *fe blazed like a flame and attacked Uriel who fought back. The two engaged
each other for a considerable time. Uriel was such a warrior that his exploits were
recited by every Syrian child. He said, "I take oath by my religion! If I wish to, I can
capture you, but out of mercy I will make peace with you and your army. It is better
that you voluntarily hand yourself over to me so that everyone sees you captured."

Khdlid 4b : O enemy of Allah, you entertain such hopes when this is the group which
conquered Palmyra, Hawran, Sakhnah and Busra, who sold their lives to Allah in
exchange for Paradise, who have chosen the Permanent Abode above the temporary
abode and who have preferred the Hereafter over the world. Now you will find out
which of the two of us will conquer his enemy and his enemy's territories and enforce
his law therein.

He then increased the intensity of his combat and employed such tactics that
confounded the enemy and, instead of speaking of capture, now began sweating and
so said in a flattering tone, '"Arab brother, why do you joke like this?"

Futuhushdm

Khalid 4b : My joke is the sword's strike, so that through it my Rabb becomes pleased
with me. Be alert. I am attacking again.

He struck out, but not with a firm hand, so the enemy was saved. Yet the violence of
the attack so frightened him that he fled, pursued by Khalid 4b.

'Amir narrates:

I was at the centre of the army watching the two adversaries when Uriel fled and
could not be caught because of his faster horse. He turned around to see Khalid <*
left behind and so (perhaps) thought, "The bedouin fears me. I will wait here to
capture him. Jesus will help me," and so he paused there. When Khalid 4& came
close, his horse was perspiring profusely and was clearly tired.

Uriel : O 'Arab, do not think that I went away out of fear for you. Rather, I have
taken you away from your men so as to catch you.

Khalid 4b '■ Allah, the Knower of the Unseen, knows best.

Uriel : 'Arab brother, it is still not too late for you to have mercy on yourself. Stop
fighting and taking unnecessary risks. Surrender! However, if you really wish for
death, then I am Uriel, snatcher of souls, angel of death.

Khalid 4& '■ O enemy of Allah, because of my slow horse you suddenly find courage?
If my horse is tired, I will come on foot and kill you if you do not flee.

Then he jumped off his horse like a tiger, swinging his sword. Uriel became
emboldened to see him on foot and circled him like a vulture intending to kill him.
But Khalid 4b hacked at a foreleg of the horse, bringing it down to the ground. Uriel
ran to his camp with Khalid 4b in pursuit shouting, "O enemy of Allah, your
namesake is becoming angry with you and wants to extract your soul. Be prepared."

He grabbed him with one hand but then the Romans launched an attack to free their
governor. Suddenly, a Muslim army arrived on the scene under the leadership of Abu
'Ubaydah 4b. Khalid 4b had earlier sent a messenger to him from Busra who had met
him along the way and was still accompanying him when they came across Khalid *fc
apprehending the governor. When the people of Damascus saw the army, they
became frightened and called off the assault, so Khalid 4» arrested Uriel.

Part 1: Damascus

19) Battle of the Monastery

Abu 'Ubaydah * intended dismounting, but Khalid *fc forbade him under oath
because of the great love Rasulullah S bore for him. They met and exchanged salam.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe : My son, I was overjoyed to receive the Khalifah's order
concerning you. Not a shadow of a grudge passed my heart because I know what you
have achieved in Persia and 'Arabia.

Khalid & : I will do nothing without consulting you and will not blink an eyelid
against you. By Allah, were it not in obedience to the Khalifah, I would never accept
this post in consideration of your precedence in Islam and your being a special
Sahabi of Rasulullah S.

The two shook hands and Khalid's 4fc horse was presented to him, which he
mounted. As they were riding together to the camp at the monastery, he was telling
Abu 'Ubaydah .&> about the capture of the two generals and Allah's help. When they
arrived, the Muslims exchanged salam.

The next day both camps prepared for battle, with the Romans coming out under the
command of Heraclius's son-in-law, Thomas, a great general. Khalid <& said, "They
truly fear the Muslims. Yesterday they were thoroughly humiliated and the capture
of their two generals weakened them. So now we should mount a joint attack on
them."

Abu 'Ubaydah * : Very well, I am with you.

The Muslims altogether raised loudly the cry, "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu
Akbar!" until the cries reached the surrounds of Ghawtah. With this cry on their lips,
the Sahabah & of Rasulullah S attacked, and the teeth of the Christians rattled. The
Christians were humiliated while Allah's friends, intoxicated with Jihad considered
their heads a small price to pay for their Friend's pleasure.

'Amir bin at-Tufayl 4fc narrates:

In that battle, each of us killed about ten Romans. The battle had hardly lasted an
hour when they were dislodged. We chased them all the way from the Monastery to
the Eastern Gate. When the Damascenes saw their cowardice, they shut the gates so
as to prevent the cowards from entering.

Futuhushdm

Qays bin Hubayrah narrates:

When we reached the gate, we killed some and captured others and then returned
There Khalid & said to Abu 'Ubaydah &, "I think that I should lay siege to the
Eastern Gate and you lay siege to al-Jabiyah Gate." He replied, "That is truly a good
idea."

20) The siege of Damascus

The troops of al-Hijaz, Yaman, Hadramawt, Coastal 'Uman, at-Taif and the
surrounds of Makkah totalled 37,000 under Abu 'Ubaydah &>. 'Amr bin al-'As
commanded 9,000 cavalry in Palestine, while Khalid & brought 1 ,500 youths from
the 'Iraq front. So the total Muslim strength in Syria was, at that time, 47,500
excluding the number 'Umar 4&> would later send during his rule and which will be
mentioned later. Khalid 4b took half the army and laid siege to the Eastern Gate while
Abu 'Ubaydah «#& took the other half to lay siege to the al-Jabiyah Gate. This
terrified the Damascenes greatly. Khalid 4» summoned Calius and Uriel and offered
them Islam. Upon their refusal, he ordered Dirar <& to execute them which was done.
Reliable narraters report that Dirar bin al-Azwar 4» killed Uriel while Rafi' bin
'Umayrah dealt with Calius.

When the Damascenes found out, they wrote to Heraclius to inform him of the defeat
and executions and added, "The 'Arabs are laying siege to the Eastern and al-Jabiyah
Gates and have with them their women and children. Most of the prosperous
territories have fallen into their hands. Rescue us or we will be forced to surrender to
them."

At night a rope was tied from the city walls and a messenger lowered with the letter.

Heraclius was at Antioch when he received the letter. After reading it, he wept and
flung it down. He called his officials and said, "O Romans, I warned you from the
beginning about these brave 'Arabs. From the beginning, I told you that someday
they would own my crown and throne, but alas, you took my words to be a
meaningless joke and on the contrary you seek my death. Now these eaters of grain,
barley and dried dates have left their dry, famine-stricken land and reached a land of
fruit, vegetation, trees and lush greenery and they prefer the water and climate of our
lands. Now nothing can evict them except firm resolution and fierce war. Were it not
a disgrace, I would abandon Syria and go to Constantinople or else it seems as if I
will have to personally fight them to defend my family."

Part 1: Damascus

They replied, "Their damage is not so great as to necessitate Your August Majesty's
personal involvement in battle. Warden, the governor of Hims, our bravest warrior
and ablest strategist, should be sent. You have seen his exploits against the Persians
during their invasion."

When Heraclius summoned him to appoint him, he replied, "Were it not for fear of
your displeasure, I would refuse this appointment because you overlooked me in
favour of others and left me for last."

Heraclius : You were kept behind for a reason; because you are my sword and refuge.
You will leave immediately with 12,000 men for Ba'labakk where the Ajnadayn
army is encamped. Send part to Balqa and part to the Black Mountains with orders
to prevent 'Amr bin al-As from joining Khalid bin al-Walid.

Warden : I accept wholeheartedly. I shall not show my face until I bring you the heads
of Khalid and his companions. Then I will invade al-Hijaz and level Makkah and al-
Madinah to the ground.

Heraclius : I swear by the Gospel! If you fulfil your vow, I will grant you all the
'Arab-occupied territory and appoint you as my successor.

21) Heraclius sends an army to Damascus

Heraclius gave Warden a robe-of-honour, a scabbard and a gold cross which had
expensive rubies encrusted on the four ends and said, "Keep this in front of you at
the time of combat to assist you." Warden took the cross to a monastery where he
sprinkled holy water on himself for blessing. The monks and priests prayed for his
victory and burned incense. He then encamped outside the city at the Persian Gate
and selected some people to accompany him. When all the preparations had been
made, Heraclius accompanied him, with his officials, to the Iron Bridge from where
he took the Ma'rat route and reached Hamah. From there, he sent a message to the
army at Ajnadayn, "All roads and mountain-passes should be sealed off to prevent
'Amr bin al-'As from joining Khalid bin al-Walid."

He then gathered all his officers and said, "I wish to ambush the Arabs and catch
them all. None will be able to escape."

All agreed, so they took the Salamiyah and Wadi al-Hayyat route and marched at
night.

Futuhushdm

Shaddad bin Aws 4fc narrates:

After Khalid <& had executed Calius and Uriel, he ordered us to attack Damascus.
Some bedouins went ahead carrying leather shields. When the enemy saw this, they
started flinging stones and arrows at us. The Yamanis fired back with their arrows.
The Romans began raising a cry - they were convinced that due to our impregnable
siege, they would either be destroyed or made captive.

On the twentieth day of the siege, Nadl bin Murrah came and informed us that the
Romans had gathered a massive force at Ajnadayn. Khalid *i& rode to Abu 'Ubaydah
•$> at al-Jabiyah Gate to consult him and said, "O trustworthy one of the Ummah, I
feel that we should invade Ajnadayn and after winning, return here."

Abu 'Ubaydah ^ : I cannot agree.

Khalid 4b : Why not?

Abu 'Ubaydah 4i> '■ Because we have tormented the Damascenes with a complete
siege which has terrified them. If we leave now, they will have an opportunity to re-
equip and renew their strength so that when we return it will be hard for us.
Therefore, I do not feel it appropriate to move an inch from here."

Khalid &> : I accept what you say.

He returned to the Eastern Gate and ordered all squadron officers to mount intense
attacks on Damascus while he himself attacked the Eastern Gate. The people of
Damascus underwent such difficulty on that day as they had never suffered before.
Khalid <&> was encouraging the Muslims while reciting this war-poem:

Who will inform Abu Bakr that we

Are fighting the Roman army

Allah has prohibited except that I break the Disbelievers

And relieve my spear s thirst with blood of Roman leaders.

Many victims will I fling to the ground

Many will weep at a friend no longer found.

The Muslims increased the intensity of attack, but the Romans protected by their
fortress were still holding out on the twenty-first day. Their condition deteriorated
with the lengthening siege and they lost all hope of receiving reinforcements from
Caesar. They sent an envoy to offer peace in exchange for 1,000 Uqiyah silver (122.5

Part 1: Damascus

kg), 500 Uqiyah gold (61.2 kg) and 100 cloths of brocade and said, "Please come so
that we can give you these things."

Khalid & refused, saying, "We cannot compromise on this. Your choice remains one
of these three - Islam, Jizyah or battle."

The envoy then returned to inform them.

'Urwah bin Shaddad narrates:

The Damascenes were more inclined to Abu 'Ubaydah & than Khalid «fc because the
former was an old man who promised peace while the latter was a threatening
warrior. Khalid & gave the order for attack when suddenly the Damascenes were
seen clapping their hands, dancing and shouting cries of victory, so he asked the
soldiers who had reached the top of the fort walls what was happening. They
gestured in the direction of the mountain and Bayt Luhya, where he saw such a
massive dust-cloud rising that it blackened the heavens and earth. He understood that
reinforcements were arriving so he alerted the Muslims and ordered them to prepare
themselves. The Muslims mounted their horses with naked blades in their hands -
each division under its own commander. Then scouts came to report that a massive
army was present at the mountain, most probably a Roman army. Khalid «fe
exclaimed, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except through
Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty."

22) Khalid 4> consults Abu 'Ubaydah &

Khalid & spurred his horse and went to Abu 'Ubaydah & at al-Jabiyah Gate and
informed him of the latest developments.

Khalid 4* : I intend taking all the Muslims to attack the enemy. What is your opinion?

Abu 'Ubaydah & : No, because if the Damascenes see this territory unoccupied they
will take it.

Khalid .& : Then what should we do?

Abu 'Ubaydah & : A great brave warrior should be chosen to attack them. If he sees
that his chances are good, he should proceed otherwise he should return.

Khalid & : In our army there is one such person who does not fear death; an expert
and brave warrior and whose father and father's brother were both martyred in Jihad.

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* : Who is it?

Khalid 4» : Dirar bin al-Azwar bin Sinan bin Tariq.

Abu 'Ubaydah & : By Allah! You have chosen exactly the right man.

Khalid 4* returned to the Eastern Gate and summoned Dirar <$..

Dirar 4» : As-Salamu 'Alayka.

Khalid 4& : Ibn al-Azwar, I am sending you against the enemy with 500 horsemen
who have sold their lives to Allah in exchange for Paradise, who give preference to
the Permanent Abode above the temporary abode and the Hereafter over this world.
If you see that you stand a chance then attack, otherwise return.

Dirar 4*> : Ibn al-Walid, what joy! You have made me more happy today than I have
ever been. In fact, if you permit, I shall do this work on my own.

Khalid 4* : You are indeed very brave, clever and energetic but it would amount to
suicide if you do not take the help I am giving you and Allah has forbidden this.

23) Dirar 's <$> expedition

Dirar 4& armed himself and was in a hurry to set off, but Khalid 4* said to him, "For
Allah's sake have mercy on yourself and have patience until the squadron is ready."

Dirar 4* replied, "By Allah! I cannot wait any longer. Whoever considers Jihad to be
the best virtue can come and join me there."

So saying, he sped off until he reached Bayt Luhya where he waited until his
companions arrived. When their numbers were completed, they saw the Roman army
wearing glittering armour like a swarm of locusts descending from the mountain, so
numerous as if they were clothing the mountain with their presence. The Sahabah &
said to Dirar 4*, "By Allah! What a large army. It is better that we return."

Dirar 4b : By Allah! I will fight in the Path of Allah treading the path of those who
have turned towards Him. Allah will not find me turning my back and running away,
for He Himself says,

Part 1: Damascus

...Do not turn your backs (to flee) from them. [8:16]

So when He has ordered this and I return, I will be disobeying him and will be a
sinner.

Raft' bin 'Umayrah : O my people, what is there to fear from these irreligious
people? Has Allah not granted you victory in most places? Have not our small forces
repelled their gigantic numbers? Victory only comes with patience. So follow the
ancient pious ones by crying with all humility in front of the court of the Lord of all
the Worlds, recite the du'a of King Saul's companions when they faced Goliath:

Our Rabbi Shower us with patience, make our feet firm and
assist us against the Disbelievers. [2:250]

Also, recite from the Quran:

How many a small band defeated a massive army with Allah 's
help? And Allah is with the patient ones. [2:249]

This speech emboldened them, so they said, "Allah will not see us fleeing from the
battle. We will definitely fight the Disbelievers."

Dirar & understood that they had preferred the Hereafter over the world and so
ordered them to hide in ambush near Bayt Luhya. While bare-chested, he took a long
spear and mounted an 'Arab horse to face the Romans.

Futuhushdm

Salamah bin Khuwaylid narrates:

I was with Dirar's <&> squadron, when bare-chested, he mounted his 'Arabian horse
desiring martyrdom. He advanced and attacked the Romans shouting, "Allahu
Akbar!"

The Muslims responded with shouts of, "Allahu Akbar!" which terrified the
Christians. I saw Dirar 4& riding towards the Roman vanguard where Warden was
stationed with crosses and flags erected near him and a band of warriors encircled
him. They were just as willing to shed their blood for him as they were willing to
shed their sweat for him. Dirar 4& recognised him to be the general and so challenged
the vanguard soldiers, "Is there any challenger?" and then recklessly moved to attack
the centre-wing. Taking careful aim, he pierced the mounted flag-bearer with his
lance. The Roman lost the flag and fell beneath his horse. Dirar 4b then turned to the
right and slew a Roman. Returning his gaze to the centre he saw Warden. Near
Warden there sat a Roman on a dirty white mongrel horse carrying a jewel-
encrusted cross. Dirar •$> speared him in the side, reaching his intestines. The cross
fell to the ground while the bearer reeled and went to Hell. Warden saw this as an
omen of his own destruction and so dismounted to pick up the cross. Some Muslims
hastily dismounted and encircled the cross, thus preventing him from reaching it.
Dirar & shouted, "O Muslims! Neither I nor you are yet entitled to that cross so do
not have any desire to pick it up. I will pick it up myself after I have finished off this
Roman dog and his army."

Warden understood 'Arabic and so wanted to flee when he heard these words, but the
officers said, "Where are you fleeing to, O our general?"

Warden replied, "I am fleeing out of fear of that devil. What a disgusting sight he is.
Have you ever seen anything more ugly and fearful than that?"

The narrator reports that when Dirar 4» saw him turning his back, he understood that
he was fleeing. So shouting loudly at the Muslims, he straightened his spear and
spurred his horse. He was close to reaching Warden, when the Romans attacked so
fiercely that his horse was stopped. At that time he was reciting this poem:

*_A

VJ L -^J t#-» '•*-* J-*J j^*- u- W hM~Z\* <J>^ '■*-*

Part 1: Damascus

Death is a reality, there is no escape I can devise
Far better than Hell-fire is Firdaws-Paradise.

This is my martyrdom so bear witness
That all this I have done for Allah 's happiness!

He scattered the Romans and continued in pursuit of the general but the Romans
pursued him until they gradually managed to surround him. He attacked in all
directions terminating the breath of whichever irritant he speared and felling
whichever warrior approached him. Thus he returned most of them to the Earth and
sent them to eternal sleep. Then he called out to the Muslims:

Verily Allah loves those who fight in His Path in rows as if they
are a single solid structure. [61:4]

Before any Muslim could respond, the Romans began rushing to him with great noise
with the Muslims following and fighting. Warden's son Hamran, shot an arrow into
Dirar's 4* right-hand side, paining him and disabling his hand. Like an
uncontrollable lion, Dirar 4* pounced and thrust his spear into Hamran's chest,
piercing his heart. As he withdrew the spear, the point snapped, staying firm in the
vertebrae. Seeing the spear pointless, the Romans surrounded him and, at last,
managed to subdue him.

24) The mysterious warrior

The Sahabah took Dirar's capture very hard and launched a fierce attack to save him
but were unsuccessful. They were dislodged and started fleeing when Rafi' bin
'Umayrah shouted, "Memorisers and bearers of the Quran, where are you going? Do
you not know that those who flee out of fear of the enemy are showered with Allah's
anger and with defeat? That most of the gates of Paradise are open for Mujahidin and
patient ones? O bearers of this Din, be patient and attack the worshippers of the cross.
Bear in mind that even if your leader has been captured, Allah is still Ever- Living
and watching you and I am present to take the lead in front of you." The Muslims

Futuhushdm

were galvanised and gathered under his leadership. They launched an attack in which
many men and most of the Roman leaders were killed. When Khalid * heard about
Dirar's 4i> capture and the Muslims' martyrdom, he was beside himself with grief and
asked, "How many Romans are there?" The informer replied, "12,000."

Khalid 4k : By Allah! Had I known that they are so many then I would never have
sent my people to destruction.. .Who is their general?

Informer : Warden, governor of Hims. Dirar 4k killed his son, Hamran.

Khalid 4t '■ There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except with
Allah's help, the Most High, the Most Mighty.

Then he sent a messenger to seek Abu 'Ubaydah's 4k opinion. His reply was, "Place
a reliable man in charge of some men to continue the siege of the Eastern Gate while
you yourself lead the attack on the enemy. I am confident that you will grind them
like a mill in no time at all."

Upon receiving this message Khalid & said, "By Allah! I am not of those who are
miserly in spending their lives in the Path of Allah."

He then said to Maysarah bin Masruq al-'Absi, "I am leaving you in charge of 1,000
horsemen. Do not leave your position, but make du'a and place your trust in Allah."

Maysarah bin Masruq al- 'Absi : I accept wholeheartedly.

Khalid 4k then addressed the army, "Let go of the horses' bridles and hold your
spears firmly instead. When we are close to the enemy, then attack altogether.
Perhaps we will rescue Dirar if he is still alive or else if they have martyred him, we
will certainly avenge him if Allah wills. I hope that Allah will not cause us grief with
regard to Dirar."

So saying, he rode ahead of his men reciting this war-poem:

JjJLJIj t£iJ» <>-JS ,>£j-*Sf i$J-*Jl <£p ^ £^J J^jj^i

Part 1: Damascus

Today the truthful one will attain his goal

He is not afraid when death snatches his soul.

My spear s thirst quench will I

With blood flowing from the eye.

I will pierce both shield and helmet

And get that which yesterday the predecessors did get.

While he was reciting this poem, he suddenly saw a tall, short-necked fawn horse
upon which sat a rider carrying a glittering spear. The rider's behaviour and
appearance projected a kind of wisdom and the riding-style showed bravery. The
warrior held the bridle loosely but sat firmly in the saddle and wore armour covered
in black cloth. A green girdle tied at the waist was spread over both his chest and
back. Thus this rider rode ahead of the army like a blazing flame.

Khalid & said, "I wonder who this horseman is. By Allah! He appears to be quite
daring and brave."

He continued behind the stranger heading towards the Christian camp. Rafi' bin
'Umayrah was steadfastly holding out against the Romans when he saw Khalid's &
reinforcements. The mysterious warrior pounced on the enemy like a mighty hawk
on a tiny sparrow in an attack that wreaked havoc in the Roman lines and by
perpetrating a massacre penetrated to their very centre. It was like lightning striking
the heads of two or four youths, then burning to ashes another five or seven and then
flashing yet again. Reaching the centre, the warrior displayed clear signs of
frustration and anxiety and then began attacking again, ripping the Christian lines
apart and advancing until the Muslims lost sight of this champion who all the while
was growing ever more anxious.

Rafi' bin 'Umayrah and his men thought that that could only be Khalid &. Rafi' then
saw him with his men so he called out, "O brave one, who is this horseman who risks
his life in Allah's Path and slays the enemy without hesitation?"

Khalid 4* : By Allah! I do not know. I am myself astonished at his daring and
bravery.

Rafi ' : What an amazing man who penetrates the Roman ranks and kills them left,
right and centre.

Khalid 4» : O Muslims, rise for the defence of Islam and attack together.

Futuhushdm

The Muslims straightened their bridles, readied their spears and advanced in battle-
formation with Khalid 4* in front. They were about to attack when they saw the
stranger flashing at the heart of the Roman army soaked in blood and mounted on a
horse drowning in perspiration. Despite trying to turn away from the approaching
Romans, the Mujahid was still single-handedly facing several Romans at the same
time. Khalid 4* and his men attacked them until they managed to bring the stranger
to the Muslim ranks.

The Muslims gazed at the visible top part of the stranger's face and found it to be like
a crimson rose-petal dipped in blood. Khalid & said, "You have offered your life in
the Path of Allah and vented your anger upon the enemies - may Allah reward you
well. Now remove your mouth-cover so that we can see who you are."

The mysterious warrior ignored him and went into the crowd. The crowd grabbed
him and said, "O slave of Allah, the commander of the Islamic armies speaks to you
and you dare to ignore him. Go to him and tell him your name and lineage so that he
can promote you."

They too received no reply, so Khalid * personally went and said, "How very sad
that I and in fact all the Muslims wish to know about you but you could not care.
Who are you?"

He repeatedly insisted until eventually a feminine voice replied, "O commander, I
have not avoided you out of disobedience, but out of modesty for I am of those who
seclude themselves behind the veil. My sorrow and broken heart forced me here."

Khalid & : Who are you?

Stranger : The captive Dirar's sister, Khawlah bint al-Azwar. I was sitting with the
women of the Mathhij tribe when I heard of Dirar's capture. So I immediately
mounted and came here. The rest you already know.

Hearing this, Khalid's 4fe heart was struck with wonder and tears welled out
profusely.

Khalid 4z '■ We will attack together. I have firm conviction that Allah will let us reach
your brother and free him.

Khawlah : If Allah wills then I shall be in the front line.

Part 1: Damascus

25) Search for Dirar &

'Amir bin at-Tufayl 4t> narrates:

I was on Khalid bin al-Walid's 4» right side and Khawlah was in front of him
attacking. All the Muslims followed the attack. Khawlah put them to such difficulty
that they started saying to each other, "If all the 'Arabs are as brave as this one then
we will never be able to overcome them."

When Khalid & attacked, the Romans lost their wits and trembled. They were close
to being dislodged but Warden started shouting, "My people, be careful and stand
firm. If you stand firm, they will flee and the Damascenes will help us. So the
Romans started putting up stiff resistance. But when Khalid and his men attacked,
their feet could not remain firm and they scattered in disorder.

Khalid 4& attempted to reach Warden but a group of brave warriors who circled their
leader prevented him. The Muslims also spread out with Muslim and Christian
engaged in single combat. Rafi' bin 'Umayrah displayed exceptional bravery while
Khawlah broke through several ranks to reach the centre striking out in all directions.
She was searching for her brother everywhere while loudly reciting this poem:

Where is Dirar, him I do not see

While he does not see my tribe and family.

O my one and only brother

And son of my own mother,

You have ended my peace of mind

And now sleep I cannot find.

All the Muslims who heard this poem wept.

The battle continued but despite extensive searching, no sign of Dirar 4» was to be
found. When the sun set, the two opposing forces returned to their own camps with
the scales tipped in the Muslims' favour and the Romans suffering a heavy toll. The
Muslim victory broke the Romans' hearts and they would have fled had it not been
for their fear of Warden. Khawlah questioned each Muslim soldier in the camp about
her brother, but none had seen him - dead or alive. When she had lost all hope, she
began to weep bitterly and said, "O son of my mother! If only I had some news of
you, even if it was that you were left lying in some jungle or slaughtered somewhere.
May your sister be sacrificed for you. It is most saddening that I do not even know

Futuhushdm

if we will ever meet. By Allah! You have left a burning ember in your sister's heart
that will never cool. Now go and meet your father, the slayer of Disbelievers, in the
presence of Muhammad H. I bid you continuous salam until Judgement Day."

This mourning reduced the Muslims to tears.

Khalid & intended to launch another attack, but suddenly saw a group of Roman
horsemen breaking off from the right-wing. They did not keep hold of their bridles
and were coming in a hurry as if they were chasing something. Khalid 4& called the
Muslims to arms and they swiftly gathered around him. When the Roman horsemen
came near they threw down their arms and came on foot begging for safety. Khalid
4t ordered the Muslims to accept their plea and bring them to him.

Khalid & : Who are you?

Romans : We are soldiers of Warden and inhabitants of Hims. We are fully convinced
that we can bring no power against you and do not have the strength to defeat you.
Grant us, our families and our children protection on the same terms which you have
granted other cities. State whatever indemnity you want and our people will not
oppose your terms.

Khalid %*• : We can only make an agreement once we have reached your city, not here.
In the meantime, you will stay with us until Allah makes a decision between us and
the enemy.

He ordered them to be watched over and again spoke to them.

Khalid &, : Do you know anything about our warrior who killed your general's son?

Romans : Are you asking about that bare-chested man who killed many of our men
including the general's son?

Khalid <& : Yes, that is him.

Romans : After his capture Warden put him on a mule and sent him with 100
horsemen to Hims. From there he will be sent to Heraclius to display his bravery.

Khalid * was pleased to hear this and summoned Rafi' bin 'Umayrah.

Khalid •$> : Rafi', you know this region's roads and mountain-passes well. Your
planning and improvising helped us to easily cross the barren plains of such places
as as-Samawah. That is, when you kept the camels thirsty and then gave them to
drink and tied their mouths shut so that you could slaughter ten daily to feed us and

Part 1: Damascus

give the horses to drink from the water that then came from the bellies of the camels
until we reached Arakah. You are thus a very experienced man and a distinguished
planner. 100 horsemen are taking Dirar to Hims. I am appointing you to pick
whoever you wish to go with you in pursuit of them. I feel that you will be able to
catch up to them soon and rescue him. If you achieve this you will cause great
happiness and will solve a great problem.

Rafi ' : I readily accept.

He selected 100 horsemen and was about to depart when Khawlah found out. A wave
of happiness swept her so she prepared her weapons and went to Khalid & saying,
"For the love of Muhammad ®, send me with them so that I can be of assistance."

Khalid 4&> said to Rafi', "You are well aware of her bravery, so take her with you."

He happily took her along and left.

26) Dirar 's 4fe rescue

Khawlah rode behind the men, who were riding in military formation, until they
reached the Salamiyah Road. Rafi' looked around and could not find any signs of an
army having passed by nor any signs of hoof-prints, so he said, "Glad tidings my
friends! The enemy has not yet reached here." He then ordered them to hide in
ambush in Wadi al-Hayyat and while they were waiting they saw a dust-cloud
coming. Rafi' declared, "O young sons of Islam, be alert." The enemy approached
with Dirar & in their centre reciting this poem:

Give this message to Khawlah and my family, O informer.

My hands are tied behind my back - 1 am a prisoner.

The Syrians surround me each a disbeliever

All of them are wearing armour.

O heart, sorrow and regret have made you dead

O tears of my manhood, down my cheeks you are shed.

Do you know if ever I will see Khawlah and my family too

And remind her of the agreement between us two?

Khawlah shouted from her hiding place, "Allah has accepted your du'a and heard
your plea. I am your sister, Khawlah!" She then came charging out shouting, "Allahu
Akbar!" followed by Rafi' and the rest all shouting "Allahu Akbar!"

Futuhushdm

Humayd bin Salim narrates:

I was part of that force who, when we started raising our voices with, "Allahu Akbar!
Allahu Akbar!", Allah inspired our horses to start neighing loudly. Each of us
targeted a Roman and in a short while finished them off. Allah freed Dirar & and
granted us the Romans' horses and weapons.

Rafi' bin Qadim narrates:

While we were engaging the Romans, Khawlah rescued her brother, untied him and
made salam. He congratulated and welcomed her and then mounted a horse which
was roaming around. He picked up a spear and recited the following poem:

O Rabbi I thank You for accepting my prayer

You have removed my sorrow, worry and care.

You have fulfilled my desires and united my sister with me

Today my heart will be satisfied against the enemy.

While Rafi' bin 'Umayrah was gathering the booty, KMlid * scored a resounding
victory against the Romans. They began fleeing in such terror and loss of spirit that
those in front did not even glance back at those behind them. Rafi' saw them and
understood what was happening. As they came he casually started arresting them one
by one.

After KMlid & had despatched Rafi', he launched an attack in which it seemed as if
every Muslim was madly rushing towards martyrdom. The Romans immediately
turned tail and fled, with Warden taking the unchallenged lead. The Muslims pursued
them gathering booty, weapons and horses until they met Rafi' and Dirar * at Wadi
al-Hayyat. Khalid 4b congratulated Dirar <& and thanked and praised Rafi'.
Overjoyed, they returned to Damascus, where they informed Abu 'Ubaydah <&, of
their victory. The conquest of Damascus was now a certainty.

27) Heraclius's letter to Warden

When Heraclius heard of the Roman defeat and the great death-toll, he felt certain
that his empire was coming to an end, so he wrote the following letter to Warden:

"I have been informed that a group of naked, hungry 'Arabs
have defeated you and slain your son. Jesus showed no pity to

Part 1: Damascus

you nor to your son. Were it not for the fact that I know you to
be an expert horseman, lancer and swordsman, I would have
had you executed. In any case, whatever has happened has
happened. I have sent an army of 90,000 to Ajnddayn. You are
to go and take command of them and lead them to assist the
people of Damascus. Send a detachment to fight the 'Arabs in
Palestine, separate them from the 'Arabs at Damascus. Defend
your religion and people. "

Warden cheered up and prepared for travel. When he reached Ajnadayn, he found the
Romans in a state of great pomp, displaying their crosses. They came out to
welcome him and offered condolences for his son. When he reached the tents, he read
out Heraclius's order which they readily accepted and prepared for war.

28) Muslims receive intelligence on Ajnadayn

Khalid * returned to the Eastern Gate after the victory where he met 'Abbad bin
Sa'id. Shurahbil ^ had sent him from Busra to inform Khalid *fe> of the 90,000
Romans sent to Ajnadayn. Khalid & went to Abu 'Ubaydah & and said, "O
trustworthy one of the Ummah, this is 'Abbad bin Sa'id al-Hadrami. Shurahbil sent
him to inform me that Heraclius has sent 90,000 men to Ajnadayn under the
command of Warden. What is your opinion?

Abu 'Ubaydah & : Abu Sulayman, our top generals are all scattered - Shurahbil is in
Busra, Mu'ath bin Jabal is in Hawran, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan is in Balqa, Nu'man bin
Mughirah is in Palmyra and 'Amr bin al-As is in Palestine. Write to them,
summoning them to us so that we can mount a joint attack. Thereafter, safety and
help are in the Hands of Allah.

Khalid & therefore wrote the following letter to 'Amr ,&:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Your Muslim brothers intend going to Ajnddayn because there
are 90,000 Disbelievers there who desire to extinguish Allah's
Light, but Allah will complete His Light even if the Disbelievers
dislike it. Therefore take your entire force and go to Ajnddayn

Futuhushdm

where we will meet each other if Allah wills. Convey my saldm
to all Muslims.

Was-Saldmu 'Alayka.
Thereafter, he wrote similar instructions to all the above mentioned generals.

29) Paulus and his wife

Khalid 4» gave orders for marching, so the tents were loaded onto camels while the
sheep and booty were set aside. Khalid $>> said to Abu 'Ubaydah <&, "I intend to stay
at the rear-guard with the sheep, women and booty. You take the special Sahabah on
reconnaissance."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> : It is better if I take the rear-guard and you the vanguard so that if
you come across Warden, he will be terrified at the sight of you. Therefore do not
stay with the women and goods.

Khalid 4& : Very well, I will not oppose you.

Before leaving he addressed the Muslims as follows, "O people! You are going
towards a massive force, but be brave, love death and work towards whatever Allah
has decreed. He has promised victory and says in the Quran:

^r, A

How often a small group overcame a mighty force with Allah 's
leave? And Allah is with the patient ones. [2:249]

Thereafter, the army marched ahead, leaving Abu 'Ubaydah <& stationed at
Damascus with 1,000 cavalry. The people of Damascus were overjoyed, thinking that
the Muslims were fleeing in terror of the Ajnadayn army. However some intelligent
ones cautioned that if they took the Ba'labakk route, then they intended to attack
Ba'labakk and Hims and if they took the Marjash-Shahura and Rahit Highway then
it meant that they were fleeing back to al-Hijaz and abandoning whatever they had
conquered.

Part 1: Damascus

A great general, Paulus, son of Balca, was at Damascus. The Christians venerated
him to such an extent that even Heraclius would summon him to deal with difficult
embassies. An unrivalled archer - he had shot an arrow right into a massive stout tree
in his garden. The arrow was still there and he wrote on the tree, "Whoever claims
to be a great warrior must shoot an arrow from the other side which must enter the
tree!" This was a much talked about incident amongst the commoners.

Paulus had not engaged in any combat against the Sahabah & since their invasion of
Syria. When they withdrew, the inhabitants went to see him.

Paulus : Why have you come?

Damascenes : The 'Arab withdrawal is a golden opportunity for you to permanently
establish your prestige with Heraclius and the Syrians. Accompany us to capture any
stragglers we might find, or if you feel yourself capable, we can attack them.

Paulus : The only thing that has prevented me from fighting them is your cowardice
and also I see no reason to fight them.

Damascenes : We swear in the name of Christ and the Bible that we will stay with
you until the last breath. None will desert. If anyone does, then feel free to kill him.

Because of their oath, Paulus went inside his house and put on his armour to join
them. Seeing this, his wife asked, "Where are you going?"

Paulus : The people of Damascus have put me in charge of them. I am leading them
against the 'Arabs.

Wife : Do not do it! Stay at home and do not go needlessly against that which you are
powerless against. I dreamt last night that you were holding a bow in your hand. You
shot at sparrows in the sky. Some fell down wounded but then started flying again. I
was amazed at them flying again when suddenly a group of eagles swooped down on
you and your companions and scratched all your faces with their talons. You and your
men then fled, but whoever had been scratched fell down unconscious. This sight
frightened me and I awoke, fearful for your sake.

Paulus : Was I also unconscious in your dream?

Wife : I swear by God that I saw an eagle violently pecking you unconscious.

Thereupon Paulus gave her a hard smack.

Futuhushdm

Paulus : You foretell no good. Does fear of the 'Arabs sit so firmly in your heart that
you now dream of them? Have no fear. I shall make their commander your attendant
and his companions shepherds and pigheads.

Wife : It is your choice, I have given my advice.

Paulus ignored her and left riding accompanied by 6,000 cavalry and 10,000 infantry
from Damascus, all of them highly experienced. Khalid 4b had withdrawn the army,
so Paulus targeted Abu 'Ubaydah 4b who was with the women, children and booty.

30) The Battle of Shakhura

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b and his men were mounted on camels when one of them saw a
dust-cloud rising in the distance. He informed him and said, "As far as I can tell it is
the dust of the enemy."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4i> replied, "It is certainly the Damascenes, who seeing us few in
number, have come to attack us." He waited until the women's litters and the sheep
had all arrived. At the same time, the dust was increasing and voices rising. Abu
'Ubaydah 4& called out, "O Muslims, be alert. The enemy have arrived." He had
hardly said this when the enemy descended upon them like pitch black darkness.
Paulus was leading the 6,000 strong cavalry. When he saw Abu 'Ubaydah 4b, he led
them against him. Simultaneously, his brother, Peter, led the infantry to the women
where he captured some and then headed back for Damascus. When he reached the
Istiryaq River, he stopped to receive news on Paulus.

When Abu 'Ubaydah 4& saw this disaster he said, "Khalid was right in wanting to
stay." Paulus advanced with marks and crosses hanging on his head. At that time, the
Muslim women were very anxious while the boys were shrieking. Although 1,000
men were present, they had left to engage the Romans. Allah's enemy, Paulus,
attacked Abu 'Ubaydah 4b who fought back. The battle between the Sahabah 4k and
the Romans heated, dust was rising, swords were flashing so viciously that Shakhura
became a bed of tulips (fallen heads like tulips red with blood? - translator 's note).
Abu 'Ubaydah 4b was in a difficult situation, but remained firm.

Suhayl bin Sabbah narrates:

I was riding a Yamani horse with white marks on its forehead and legs. I pulled the
reins and let go so that it sped like a flash of lightning and, before I knew it, was close

Part 1: Damascus

to Khalid bin al-Walid. I shouted at him, so he turned his horse in my direction and
said, "What is wrong, Ibn Sabbah?"

I said, "O commander, go to Abu 'Ubaydah and the women. An army from Damascus
has attacked them and captured some women and children. Abu 'Ubaydah is in a
very tight situation and cannot hold out much longer." He exclaimed, "Verily we
belong to Allah and to Him we return. By Allah! I wanted to stay at the back, but he
did not listen. But in any case, none can question Allah's decree."

He then ordered Rafi' bin 'Umayrah to immediately take 1,000 cavalry to protect the
women and ordered 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr to take 1,000 cavalry against the
enemy. Then he despatched Dirar 4&> and Qays bin Hubayrah al-Muradi with 1,000
men against them. Thereafter, he went forth with the rest of the army. Abu
'Ubaydah *fe was fighting Paulus when the Muslims arrived. They attacked the
enemies of Allah so forcefully that their crosses fell and they were convinced that
they would be defeated. When Paulus saw Dirar <& blazing towards him, he lost his
wits and shivered because he had personally seen from the top of the city walls what
had happened to great warriors like Calius and Uriel and what had happened at Bayt
Luhya. He recognised Dirar and said to Abu 'Ubaydah, "O 'Arab, I ask you for the
sake of your religion to keep this devil away from me." Dirar said, "If I do not try to
catch you, then I will be a devil."

Paulus, seeing him thrusting his spear in his direction, jumped off his horse and ran
towards his army. Dirar <$> also dismounted to chase him and shouted, "Where can
you flee to when this devil is right behind you?"

Paulus said, "Spare me, O bedouin, for in sparing my life you will be saving your
women and children." So Dirar & spared him and arrested him instead, while the
Muslims launched such an attack which silenced the Romans.

Majid bin Ruwaym al-'Ayni narrates:

I was in the army of 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr at the battle of Shakhura. We
surrounded the 6,000 Romans and massacred them.

Rifa'ah bin Qays narrates:

As far as we know, only 100 out of the 6,000 survived. It is reported that Dirar •&>
was very upset to hear that his sister was captured and so went to Khalid <& and

Futuhushdm

informed him. He replied, "Do not worry, we have captured their leaders. We shall
go to Damascus and free our women in exchange for the prisoners."

Then he said to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b, "You move slowly with the women while I go and
free the captives." He selected 2,000 horsemen to go with him while despatching the
rest with Abu 'Ubaydah & for fear of an encounter with Warden.

Rafi' bin 'Umayrah, Maysarah bin Masruq al-'Absi, Dirar and other chiefs & rode
ahead of Khalid 4s> and they soon traversed the distance.

Dirar & was reciting this poem as they were going:

O Rabb remove that from which we suffer

Do not grant me death before I see my sister.

This is my desire and wish so

Come my friends, with me to the foe.

Then my intention will find completion

If I survive (unsuccessful) shave my beard (in humiliation).

Khalid 4>= laughed at this.

They continued until they neared the Istiryaq River where they saw a dust-cloud
wherein flags fluttered and swords glittered.

Khalid •&> : This is a strange sight.

Qays : Perhaps it is the remainder of the Damascus cavalry.

Khalid 4i> : Everyone keep your spears ready until we find out what is happening.

They obeyed and went ahead.

31) Bravery of the Muslim women

Peter gathered the Muslim women at the river. He regarded Khawlah bint al-Azwar
as the most beautiful and said to his men, "She is mine and I am hers. None of you
should object." They accepted and so each one started choosing a woman and
saying, "She is mine." They gathered the sheep and loot and awaited Paulus. The
women were detained in a tent. Most of them were aged women from the tribes of
Himyar, 'Amaliqah and Tubba, who were used to riding at night and fighting 'Arab
tribesmen. Khawlah addressed them, "O daughters of Himyar! O valuable ones of

Part 1: Damascus

Tubba'! Does it please you to be overcome by Roman Disbelievers and be their
slave-girls? What has happened to that bravery which was the talk of the slave-girls
of Arabs and gatherings of 'Arabs? How sad that I now see you bereft of all bravery
and honour. I consider death better than the humiliation of serving Romans."

'Afirah bint 'Affdr al-Himyariyah : Whatever you have mentioned, O daughter of
Azwar, about our bravery, intelligence and rank is quite true. It is also true that we
are accustomed to horse-riding and putting the enemy to difficulty at night. However,
what can we do when we have neither horse, nor spear, nor sword, nor any other
weapon? You know very well that they came suddenly and caught us like lost sheep
when we had no weapons.

Khawlah : O daughters of Tubba', your negligence is no excuse. We can uproot the
pegs and pillars of the tent and attack the wretches therewith. Perhaps Allah will
grant us victory, or else at least we will attain martyrdom. In this way we will wipe
the mark of disgrace from our foreheads.

'Afirah : By Allah! What a wonderful and appropriate suggestion.

So each women uprooted a peg. Khawlah bound her waist and, putting a peg on her
shoulder, went ahead followed by 'Afirah, Umm Aban bint 'Utbah, Salamah bint
Nu'man bin Muqirr and the others all shouting, "Is there any challenger?"

Khawlah began instructing this female army on battle formation, "Be like the links
of a chain, never separate. May Allah forbid that you separate, for then spears will
pierce your breasts, swords will cut your necks, your skulls will be cut off and heaped
here. She went and hit her peg so hard on a Roman's head that he dropped down
dead. The Romans were thrown into confusion and started asking each other, "What
is happening?", when suddenly they saw peg-carrying women advancing upon them.
Peter shrieked at them, "What are you doing, you wretches?"

'Afirah replied, "We have decided that today we willl rectify your brains with these
tent-pegs and shorten your life-spans, thus removing a spot of disgrace from our
ancestors' faces."

Peter laughed and said to his people, "Shame on you. Go, spread out and catch them
alive, but whoever catches Khawlah should not get any ideas."

The Romans encircled them, but as soon as anyone came near, the women would
break his horse's legs with the pegs and when he thus fell down, would smash up his
face. In this way, thirty Romans were killed and none neared them. Peter became
infuriated and followed by his companions, dismounted. They walked to the women

Futuhushdm

shaking their fists and swords. The women hurried towards each other and said,
"Death with honour is better than life with disgrace."

Peter expended great effort in fighting the women but achieved nothing except
frustration. He saw Khawlah like a fierce lion reciting the following poem:

Himyar s and Tubba 's daughters are we

For us to kill you is quite easy.

For we are the flames of war

We have for you great trouble in store.

Peter listened to her. Her beauty enticed him. He said, "O my 'Arab woman, stop this
now. I value you and will tell you my heart's secret which is sure to please you - will
it not please you that I be your master considering the fact that I am the object of
desire of every Christian woman. In addition, I have farms, orchards, wealth and
cattle and hold a prestigious position with Heraclius. All this will be yours if only you
stop destroying yourself with your own hands." Khawlah retorted, "You wretched
unbelieving son of an unchaste adulterer! By Allah! I will take this peg and gouge
your brains out. You are not even worthy of herding my camels and sheep let alone
claim to be my equal." Peter became enraged and said to the Christians, "What
greater shame can there be in all Syria and 'Arabia if a group of women manage to
overcome you. Fear Jesus Christ and Caesar Heraclius and kill them all."

The Christians became excited and attacked. The Muslim women patiently faced the
attack until they saw KMlid's &■ men kicking up dust, their swords glittering therein.
Khalid * stopped at a distance and said to his men, "Who will go and gather
information for me?"

Raff bin 'Umayrah volunteered and went and returned to report on the women
defending themselves.

Khalid '& : It is amazing! These are the women of the tribes of 'Amaliqah and Tubba.
Some are of Tubba' bin Aqran, some of Tubba' bin Abi Karb, some of Thu Ra'in,
some of 'Abdul Kala'al-Mu'azhzham and some of Tubba' bin Hassan bin Tubba'.
Tubba' bin Hassan bin Tubba' was the man who bore witness to Muhammad S being
a Prophet before he was born. He said in his poem:

Part 1: Damascus

r- p o-f' J

That Ahmad is Allah s Messenger is my testification

His Ummah is named in the Psalms as Best Nation.

If I live until his time serve him I will

And be minister to the son of his uncle.

O Rati', these women are known for their fighting. If they are really displaying such
feats of bravery which you describe, then they will permanently put their stamp on
ihe 'Arabs and will remove the brand of weakness from the foreheads of females.

The Muslims' faces brightened with joy at Rafi"s report on the women's bravery and
Krar 4Sb leapt with joy. He threw off the old shawl he was wearing and grabbed his
spear, intending to be the first to reach them, but Khalid 4» called out, "Wait a while
Dirar, do not be hasty. He who does a job with patience completes it, while he who
hastens hardly achieves more than intentions."

Dirar *fc> : O commander, how can I be patient in helping my sister?

Khalid 4^ : If Allah wills, help and victory is at hand.

He then lined up the horses, raised the flag and going to the centre, said, "O Muslims!
When you approach the enemy spread out and surround them. Have trust in Allah
that He will free our women and have mercy on our children."

They cheerfully answered him and so he rode at their head.

The Christians were preoccupied with the women when the army arrived with flags
fluttering. Khawlah called out, "O daughters of Tubba', Allah has shown mercy to
you and has gladdened your hearts."

When Peter saw the Islamic army arriving with all its splendour, with their spears all
aligned and swords flashing, his heart trembled and his shoulders shook. The men
were alarmed and looked at each other. Peter said to the women, "Since we also have
daughters-in-law, daughters, mothers, sisters and aunts, my heart has been filled with
love and pity for you. For the sake of the Cross I free you. When your men arrive you
can tell them this."

Futuhusham

He grabbed his horse's bridle intending to flee but before the horse could start
galloping, he saw two riders coming from the Muslims towards him. One was
wearing armour while the other was bare-chested, riding an 'Arab horse bare-back
and carrying a spear. The first was Khalid 4fe, the second Dirar •&.

When Khawlah saw her brother, she shouted, "Where were you all this time, my
brother? Allah has made us independant of your help."

Peter then shouted at her, "Go to your brother even if it will break my heart, but I
hand you over to him."

He then wanted to leave, but she went to him and said, "That you (supposedly)
extend your hand in harmony and then we turn away from you is not the way of us
'Arabs. You are but a slave of your desires and seekers of pleasure." She then went
right in front of him.

Peter : My love for you has left my heart. I do not want to see your face.

Khawlah : O but / cannot ever let go of you!

She then rushed at him, while Khalid & and Dirar * came to join her, with the whole
army coming in that direction.

Peter : O 'Arab, take your sister. Congratulations, I give her to you.

Dirar : Very well, I accept, but at the moment I have nothing to give in exchange
except the point of the spear. So take it.

~ * I . ■*£— ■* / , f . L f «r x ■* * i

LAjij jl lls-4 ( y~«^-L> \jjpx3 <*>tlj iw> lilj

When you are greeted with a greeting, greet back better than
that or at least return it equally. [4:86]

He attacked and struck at his heart while Khawlah struck the horse's leg. Dizzy, it
fell down and Allah's enemy was about to fall on the ground when Dirar stabbed him
in the side, the point wriggling from place to place until he fell down on the ground
dead. Khalid *fe shouted, "Congratulations. This is such a spear whose owner is never
unsuccessful." Meanwhile, the Muslims had surrounded the Romans and killed
3,000.

Part 1: Damascus

Hamid bin 'Awn ar-Raba'i narrates:

I counted that Dirar killed thirty, while his sister also killed many with her peg. I saw
'Afirah bin 'Affar fight more fiercely than I had ever seen her fighting before. The
Muslims pursued the surviving Romans right up to Damascus. None came out to help
them, instead they grew even more afraid than before. The Muslims returned,
gathering booty, horses and weapons. Khalid 4s> called out, "O people, hurry back to
Abu 'Ubaydah before Warden reaches him."

Dirar 4t> had mounted Peter's head on his spear. The Muslims marched until they
reached the camp at Marj ar-Rahit where Abu 'Ubaydah 4b had stopped. His army
raised loud cries of "Allahu Akbar!" followed by Khalid's men responding similarly.
The two leaders then met and made salam. The Muslims were happy to see the
women and were overjoyed at the report that was heard. It was thought that Allah's
help was with them and that the conquest of Syria was now a certainty. Thereafter
Khalid 4» summoned Paulus.

Khalid * : Accept Islam or suffer the same fate as your brother.

Paulus : What has happened to him?

Khalid 4fe : He has been killed. In fact, his head is here.

He called for the head which he put in front of Paulus who wept.

Paulus : There is no pleasure left in life after my brother's death. Let me meet him.

Musayyib bin Najiyah al-Fazari stood up and upon receiving the order, struck off
Paulus' head. The Muslims then left.

32) Sahabah 4> reach Ajnadayn

It is narrated that when Shurahbil, Mu'ath bin Jabal, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan and 'Amr
bin al-'As & received Khalid's <& instructions, they immediately left with their
armies for Ajnadayn and arrived there.

Safinah <&, the servant of Rasulullah ft narrates:

I was with Mu'ath bin Jabal when we and the other Muslim armies all arrived at the
same time at Ajnadayn in the beginning of Jumada al-Ula, 13 Hijri and made salam
to each other. I saw a huge Roman army. When they saw us, they paraded before us.

Futuhushdm

They lined up their infantry and cavalry who were spread out in the field of
Ajnadayn - there were ninety rows with 1,000 men in each row.

Dahhak bin 'Urwah * narrates:

I had gone to 'Iraq and had seen the armies of Kisra and Jaramiqah but, by Allah, I
had never seen an army as huge and as well-armed as that Roman army. We
encamped there and the next day when it was barely daylight, the Romans started
moving in our direction. When we saw them, we went on alert and started preparing.
Khalid * came to us on horseback and said, "O Muslims, you will never again see
an army as huge as the one you are facing today. If you defeat them then no similar
army will be able to face you until the Day of Judgement. Expend your life in the
way of Jihad and in defence of the honour of Allah's Din. Beware of deserting, for it
is tantamount to flinging yourself into Hell. Stand shoulder-to-shoulder, wave your
swords but do not attack until I tell you to. Keep your spirits high."

Reliable narrators report that when Warden saw the Sahabah & of Rasulullah $&
gathering for battle, he gathered all his officers and said, "O Romans, Heraclius has
placed great trust in you. If you are defeated then there is no-one else who can face
the 'Arabs. They will then conquer your cities, kill your men and capture your
women. You must fight courageously and with unity. Remember that you are triple
their number. Every three of you will face only one of them. Finally, seek help from
the Cross for it will certainly help you."

Khalid <*> faced the Muslims and said, "O warriors of Islam, who will go and
gather intelligence on the Roman numbers, strategies and equipment?"

Dirar 4h : O commander, I am ready for this work.

Khalid & : By Allah! You are the very man, but when you reach there, do not
needlessly entrap yourself for Allah says:

^ji jji^l \jS> %

Do not fling yourselves into self-destruction. [2:195]

Dirar & arrived there on horseback and witnessed great pomp, tents, glittering
helmets and spears. Flags were fluttering like the wings of birds. Warden was
examining the Muslims when suddenly he spotted Dirar & and said to his officers,

Part 1: Damascus

"I have spotted a horseman about whom I am almost certain that he is one of their
exalted chiefs. Who will go to catch him?"

Thirty youths went in pursuit. When Dirar <& saw them he turned back. They carried
on chasing, thinking him to be fleeing, but his intention was to separate them from
their army and then fight them. When they were far enough, he turned his horse and
flung a small spear at one which instantly killed him. He then attacked a second
youth and penetrated into their midst like a tiger. They were terrified and began
fleeing, but he went after them killing them one by one until nineteen had been killed.
Then as they neared the Roman camp, he turned back and reported to Khalid •& who
said, "Did I not forbid you from showing off your strength and attacking them?"

Dirar & : They were chasing me and I feared that Allah would regard my action as
fleeing. I therefore attacked them solely for His sake and I am sure that that is why
He helped me. By Allah! Had I not feared your reproach I would not have returned
until I had attacked every single Roman. O commander, rest assured that their whole
army will be our booty.

33) The Battle of Ajnadayn

Khalid 4&> divided the army into four: right-wing, left-wing, centre and vanguard.
Sa'id bin 'Amir was put in charge of the left-wing; Nu'man bin Muqrin over the right
vanguard; Shurahbil * over the left vanguard; Mu'ath bin Jabal •& over the right-
wing while Yazid bin Abi Sufyan & was given 4,000 cavalry to protect the women
and children at the back.

(The commander-in-charge would take the centre — translator 's note)

Thereafter, he went to address the women amongst whom were those whose
bravery was the talk of the 'Arabs such as 'Afirah bint 'Affar al-Himyariyah, Umm
Aban bint 'Utbah bin Rabi'ah who had just married and whose hands were still red
with myrtle and head scented with perfume, Khawlah bint al-Azwar, MazrtVah bint
'Amluq, Salama bint Zari' bin 'Urwah, Layna bint Suwar, Salama bint Nu'man and
others.

Khalid & : O daughters of Tubba', 'Amaliqah and the chiefs of the Persian kings,
you have achieved such feats which have made Allah and all the Muslims pleased
with you, whose mention will keep your memories fresh, which have opened the
gates of Paradise for you and have burnt your enemies. I am confident that if any
Romans come here, you will kill them and if any Muslim deserts, you will have pegs

Futuhushdm

ready (to chase him back) and show him his children and say to him, "How can you
abandon them?" It will be your job to continue encouraging the men to fight.

'Afirah : O commander, by Allah! We will be more pleased if you put us in front to
fight the Romans and break their faces. We will kill them until we are all martyred
and none of us remain.

Khawlah : O commander, we are not concerned about anyone's attacks.

Khalid & : May Allah reward you well.

He then returned to the men, spurring his horse to inspect them and encouraged them
in the way of Jihad, "O Muslims, help the Din of Allah and He will help you. Remain
steadfast in battle defending your women, children and Din. Fight whole-heartedly
for there is no refuge or fort to which you can flee, nor any trench in which you can
hide. Stand shoulder-to-shoulder and unsheathe your swords but do not attack until I
order you to. Observe this rule of archery - when you fire it must be as one so some
target or other will be hit."

^ • j fr>JLaj *Xl*J 4A)I IjjLSlj l^jajljj \jfiL^sj \^jy^\

Endure; be more patient than the enemy; maintain your
stations; and fear Allah so that you can be successful. [3:200]

The Muslims were pleased with this speech. They proceeded to string their bows,
stack their arrows, unsheathe their swords and make general battle preparations. He
then went to the centre of the army where he stayed for a while with ' Amr bin al-' As,
'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr, Qays bin Hubayrah, Rafi' bin 'Umayrah, Musayyib bin
Najiyah, Thul Kali', Rabi'ah bin 'Amir & and others. He then led the army in a slow
advance towards the enemy.

Warden advanced with his forces when he saw the Muslims coming. The Romans
filled the earth in every direction displaying flags and crosses and uttering words of
disbelief. When the two armies faced each other, an aged Christian soldier wearing
black armour accompanied by other Christians came out of the Roman ranks and
approaching the Muslims, said in 'Arabic, "Who is your leader? I wish to speak to
him."

Khalid <&> came forward.

Part 1: Damascus

Priest : You are the leader?

Khdlid & : These people will accept me as their leader for as long as I am obedient
to Allah and maintain the Sunnah of His Messenger ft. If I should stray for even a
moment then I will have no obedience or leadership.

Priest : That is why you conquer us. If you stray even a little then you will never
conquer. You have come to such lands which no king has had the audacity to come
to before, let alone invade. The Persians have tried, but failed. The Jaramiqah made
great but fruitless sacrifices in their invasion attempts. Now you have come. You may
have made a few conquests, but conquest is a temporary matter. Our general Warden
has, out of his great compassion for you sent me with this message, "If you withdraw
I will give each of your soldiers a turban, a set of clothing and a dinar; you 100 dinar
and ten sets of clothing and for Abu Bakr 1,000 dinar and 100 sets of clothing."

The number of our army is that of the number of an army of ants. Do not deceive
yourself into thinking that you will defeat us like the previous armies, for Heraclius
has sent unto us a great brave general and experienced priest.

Khdlid 4b : By Allah! We cannot return unless you accept one of three choices:
firstly, enter our religion, believe as we believe and say as we say. If not, your
second choice is to pay us Jizyah and your final choice is to fight us. As for your
numbers being like an army of ants, I say that Allah has promised us victory through
the tongue of His True Messenger, Muhammad ft, and has also stated this promise
in His Sacred Book. As for your turbans, clothing and dinar, you will soon see that
they and in fact your Empire will be in our hands anyway.

Priest : Very well, I will tell the general.

He then went and told Warden who said, "Does he foresee the same fate befalling us
as befell those who fought them before? With our every delay their ambitions upon
the Empire and spirits increase. Caesar has sent against them the great patricians and
now the only delay is battle. Then we will abandon them trembling in blood and
dirt." He then gave orders for military manoeuvres putting infantry carrying small
spears and bows in front of the cavalry.

Mu'ath bin Jabal & saw this and called out, "O Muslims, paradise is ready. The
Gates of Hell are shut. The virgin damsels are adorned and waiting for you. Receive
tidings of eternal life."

Part 1: Damascus

'Inan bin 'Awf 4> narrates:

I was keeping count of each footman and horseman Dirar was killing until the total
reached thirty.

Zharif bin Tariq al-Yarbu'i narrates:

He wreaked absolute havoc. His bravery and manliness really stunned them. He then
removed his helmet and flung it away saying, "O Romans, I am Dirar bin al-Azwar.
Yesterday I was soft with you, today I am your enemy. I am he who killed Hamran,
son of Warden. Whoever denies Allah will find me to be like an incurable disease, I
shall destroy him at any time, in any place."

The soldiers recognised him and began fleeing hurriedly with him in hot pursuit.
Then when the Romans came against him, he turned back. Warden asked, "Who is
this bedouin?" They said, "That is the same bedouin who fights bare-chested,
sometimes with a spear, sometimes without." He took in a cold breath and said, "He
is the one who decreased my family and killed my son. I say truly from the bottom
of my heart that whoever takes revenge from him will get whatever he desires." A
warrior of Arahiyah quickly volunteered.

The narrator says, "That was the governor of Tiberias."

35) Dirar & and Steven duel

Hilal bin Murrah narrates:

I was in the right-wing, with Romanus, governor of Busra, at my left . He said to me,
"I do not know his name, but I can tell you that he is a match for Dirar." That man
then said to Warden, "I will take revenge on your behalf," and rode off. The two
opponents fought each other for more than three hours, both displaying great valour.
Dirar 4&> eventually managed to pierce his armour with his spear and kill him, flinging
him face-down. Warden then said, "He also failed to bring him, and even if he had
brought him and I saw him with my own eyes then I would deny my own sight for
certainly no human has the power to fight a devil. No, there is none besides me to
fight this ugly thing." With these words, he dismounted his Turkish horse, put on
armour and then a second pearl-encrusted coat of armour and a crown to awe Dirar
4b. He mounted an 'Arab horse and was about to depart when Steven, governor of
'Amman came, kissed the stirrup and said, "I am ready to take revenge on your

Futuhushdm

- » ■f^tf'f *

Verily Allah has brought from the believers their lives and

wealth in exchange for Paradise, They fight in the Path of

Allah. [9:111]

"May Allah bless your attack."

Khdlid & : O Mu'ath, be patient until I give some instructions. O Muslims, stand
shoulder to shoulder and remember that the enemy is double our number. Stretch the
fighting until the time of Salatul 'Asr because that is the time in which our Prophet
Muhammad S obtained victory over his enemies.

Beware of deserting for Allah is watching you at all times. When you attack, then
may your attack be with Allah's blessing.

34) Dirar's <& valour

When the two armies faced each other, the Armenians started firing arrows, killing
and wounding several Muslims, but they could not retaliate because of Khalid's &>
instructions. Dirar & said, "What are we waiting for? Allah is watching us and
showering us with His Light. Let the enemy not think that we are scared, cowardly
or lax. Order the assault or else send some youth to engage them until you order the
assault."

Khdlid 4& : Dirar, you are the man for this job too.

Dirar &> : By Allah! I would like nothing more than that.

He donned Paulus's armour and shut the face-guard. He also covered his horse with
Peter's horse-cover and disguised himself as a Roman before heading in their
direction. He managed to penetrate right into their ranks before attacking them with
his small spear. The Romans started firing arrows and throwing stones at him, but not
one hit Allah's slave, who continued ripping their ranks apart until he had slain
twenty footmen and twenty horsemen.

Futuhusham

behalf against this wretch. Will you give me your daughter's hand in marriage if I kill
or capture him?"

Warden : Most certainly, and I make the chiefs of Syria and Imperial officials my
witnesses to this. Most probably, you do not need any more reliable witnesses?

Steven went out like a blazing fire to attack Dirar 4&>, saying, "O wretch! Take that
which you cannot resist."

Dirar & did not understand a word of his Greek language but prepared to attack back.
Steven was wearing a gold cross tied to a silver chain. When Dirar <& saw him
kissing it, he realised that he was seeking help from it, so he said, "If you seek help
from that cross against me, then I seek help from that Being who answers du'a and
comes close to he who calls out unto Him," and then attacked. The two exhibited
such fighting skills which astounded everyone until Khalid & shouted out, "O Ibn al-
Azwar! What is this sluggishness and negligence? Why are you delaying when Hell
is waiting for your opponent and Allah is watching you? Avoid cowardice and attack
like a man."

Dirar & began shaking with enthusiasm in his saddle and renewed his attack.

The Romans were cheering Steven on while the two combatants were engrossed in
the duel until the sun reached its peak and showered its fiery rays. The men began
sweating and even their horses began sweating to their tails. Steven then made signs
that they should dismount and fight on foot. Dirar •$>. was about to comply when he
saw Steven's slave bringing his master an unmounted fresh horse, so he said to his
horse, "Remain strong under me for a little while longer or else I will go and
complain about you in front of the grave of Rasulullah S."

These words made the horse neigh and stamp the ground with its foreleg.

Dirar <& headed towards the slave and killed him with his spear. He mounted the new
horse, sending his own back to the Muslims and returned to Steven. This scene
convinced the Roman that his death was imminent. Dirar 4» perceived these thoughts
from his expression and was about to attack when he saw a squadron of horsemen
approaching. When Warden had seen Steven's predicament he said to his men, "This
devil is really irritating me. If I do not kill him today, I will be presenting myself for
destruction. Now I will go and fight him even if the other leaders consider it a
disgrace, but I do not care."

Ten armoured men followed him wearing leg-armour and side covers and carrying
steel-maces. Steven was fighting hopelessly, but when he saw Warden coming

100

Part 1: Damascus

wearing a crown and armour, followed by the ten, his hopes rose. His spirits returned
and so he shouted, "Prepare for combat!"

Dirar «fe however ignored his words and was not frightened at the new arrivals but
got ready to fight them.

When Khalid 4b saw the crown he said, "Kings wear crowns. No doubt that he is in
charge and is targeting our man, so let us go and help our man. Ten of you are
needed to equal them."

He selected ten men and went off to the battlefield.

In the meantime, the Romans had reached Dirar 4i> who bravely managed to hold
them off until Khalid 4b and his ten arrived and shouted, "O Dirar, glad-tidings of
Allah's help. Do not fear the Disbelievers."

Dirar 4b : Is not Allah's help (always) near?

The Muslims encircled the Romans and then each Muslim targeted one Christian
with Khalid 4b shouting at Warden,"Is there any challenger?"

Dirar 4b continued fighting Steven who was in a bad state, with his side paralysed
and hands shaking. The sight of Khalid 4b made him senseless and turned his new-
found joy into sorrow. He started looking around in all directions (for an escape) but
his horse was completely immobile. Dirar 4b understood his situation and launched
another attack. Steven jumped off his horse to escape the claws of death and ran.
Dirar * jumped down and ran after him. When he was close enough, he threw down
his spear and wrestled him. The two were grabbing each other's faces and despite
Steven being built like a solid rock and Dirar 4b being thin and frail, Allah
strengthened His slave until he managed to grab his belt near his navel, lift him up
and then fling him down. Steven began shrieking, pleading for Warden to help him
and said in Greek, "O commander! Save me from this situation in which I am
trapped."

Warden shouted back, "O wretch! And who is going to save me from these beasts?"

These shouts only encouraged Khalid 4b against Warden and Dirar 4b against Steven.
Both armies were watching them, with the Romans shouting and lamenting and the
Muslims shouting, "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!" Dirar 4b managed to defeat
Steven and sit on his chest. The defeated Roman was murmuring like a camel.

The two Romans were unable to help each other. Dirar 4b then thrust his sword into
Steven's belly and began slitting him upwards. Steven shrieked so loudly in terror

101

Futuhushdm

that his cries reached the skies and both armies. The Romans ran to rescue him.
Seeing this, Dirar 4fe thought that to remain would mean being needlessly crushed to
death by the Roman horses, so proclaiming "Allahu Akbar!", he hacked off Steven's
head. The blood which then gushed out completely covered him as he again shouted,
"Allahu Akbar!" The Muslims then came charging shouting, "Allahu Akbar!"

Mu'ath bin Jabal & attacked the right-wing and Sa'id bin 'Amir went for the left.
The Armenians and Christian 'Arabs fired such a shower of arrows which hid the
sun, so Sa'id bin Zayd bin 'Amir bin Nufayl 4® called out, "O people, remember your
death. Do not make Hell compulsory upon you by fleeing in front of Allah. O
defenders of this Din! O readers of the Quran, persevere!"

These words filled them with resolution and encouragement.

The two armies fought until the time of Salatul Asr and then separated with heavy
losses on both sides, but with Roman losses greater. The Muslim martyrs on the first
day were: Salamah bin Hisham al-Makhzumi, Nu'man al-'Adawi, Hisham bin al-
'As at-Taymi, Habban bin Sufyan, 'Abdullah bin 'Amr ad-Dawsi, Tharr bin 'Awf an-
Namiri, Ra'b bin Rahin al-Khazraji, Qadim bin Miqdam az-Zuhri, Thul Yassar bin
Khazrajah at-Tamimi, Hizam bin Salim al-Ghanawi, Sa'id bin al-'As Abi Layla al-
Kilabi, Hadim bin Bashir as-Saksaki, Umayyah bin Habib bin Yassar bin Ahad bin
' Abdillah bin ' Abdidar, Murhif bin Wathiq al-Barbuji, Mahalli bin Hanzhalah ath-
Thaqafi, 'Adi bin Yassar al-Asadi, Malik bin Nu'man at-Tai, Salim bin Talhah al-
Ghiffari and twelve commoners (non-Sahabah? - translator 's note) whose names I
(al-Waqidi) do not know.

The Romans lost about 3,000 men including ten governors: 1) Steven, governor of
'Amman province; 2) Marqash, son of Labna, governor of Damin, Dayr al-Harb and
Nawa; 3) Damdar, son of Qala, governor of Jawlan, that region which included the
Cave of the Seven Sleepers; 4) Levi, son of Hana, governor of Black Mountain and
'Amilah; 5) Mithar'un, son of Remus, governor of Ghazzah; 6) Naja, son of 'Abdul
Masih, governor of Halhul; 7) Jarqiyas, son of Jarwan, prince of Yanawarmalah; 8)
Maryunus, governor of Balqa; 9) Kurak, viceroy of Nabalus and 10) an unknown
prince of al-'Awasim.

When Warden returned to his camp, filled with terror at the Muslims, he summoned
his officers for consultation.

Warden : O upholders of the Faith of Christ, how do you assess the 'Arabs? I see
them as a conquering nation, unconquerable. Their swords are sharp and cutting
while yours are blunt. Their horses are energetic and enduring while yours just pant.

102

Part 1: Damascus

Their arms are hard and yours sluggish. In addition they are more obedient to their
Lord than you are and have truer faith. Through your oppression, sinning and
conspiring we have become disgraceful. I am fully convinced that if you stay like
that then all this wealth and power will depart from you. It is therefore necessary that
you wash the rust from your hearts, confess your sins with a true heart and turn in
repentance to God. If you do this, then victory will be at your feet or else you will be
destroyed, for God has inflicted us with a nation who up until now had no
importance, about whom we never bothered or even thought about because they are
hungry and naked slaves and shepherds. They have fled from the drought and
hardships of al-Hijaz and come to you. Here they are now enjoying the luxuries and
fruit of your cities. Instead of barley and grain-bread, they now eat wheat-bread.
Instead of vinegar and date- water they now partake of honey, butter-oil, fresh butter,
figs, grapes and rare exotic things which have all fallen into their hands. To crown it
all, they have taken your women, mothers and family. What I cannot understand is
how you are tolerating this disgrace and disaster?

Not a single Roman remained who did not weep aloud and was not filled with regret.
With anger overfilling they said, "We will fight until the last breath and remain firm
until the last man. The 'Arabs can never be so brave. We will kill them with our
swords, pierce them with our spears and fire them into pieces of chaff with our
arrows. That which you have mentioned will not be."

36) The conspiracy

Warden was delighted with this answer and said to the patricians, "You have heard
what the army has answered."

One of them replied, "O Warden, place no reliance on the words of commoners.
Understand that you have become entangled with such a people against whom no
success is possible. Have you not seen with your own eyes how a single one of them
is prepared to take on a whole army, is not impressed by numbers and does not return
until he has killed several of us? They firmly believe what their Prophet told them -
that if they kill one of us he goes to Hell but if we kill one of them he goes to
Paradise. For such people life and death are equal. They have killed many of us but
we have killed only a few of them. Against such people I see no hope for you unless
through some scheme you can reach their leader and kill him, for then they will be
defeated and flee. However, to achieve that, a plan is needed."

Warden : What kind of scheme will work? These are people who specialise in
schemes.

103

Futuhushdm

Patrician : Call him to have a dialogue, then when he is alone grab his throat and call
out to men whom you had arranged to lay in ambush.

Warden : I can never reach him because firstly, he is a powerful, stern warrior;
secondly, I cannot (bring myself to) speak to him; (thirdly), I will never be able to
catch him.

Patrician : Do not worry, I will tell you of a plan which if you implement you will
reach him without harm. Hide ten top warriors and then call him for talks. Sit with
him near the ambush. Engross him in dialogue until he is completely at ease with
you, then attack him. Call the others to help finish him off and then you will be
relieved of his troubles. His men will automatically scatter until not even two will be
seen together.

Warden was most delighted with this scheme and said, "Let us accomplish this work
before morning ends."

He called a Christian Syrian from Hims called David and said, "I know you to be an
extremely eloquent orator who is capable of proving the way of salvation and
disproving the enemy. I want you to go to the 'Arabs and ask them to put off the
battle until tomorrow. In addition, their commander should come to us at the crack of
dawn so that I can personally negotiate peace with him. Possibly we can achieve
peace, whatever money they want we will give them."

David : Alas, Caesar has sent you to fight the 'Arabs, but you make peace with them.
The world will brand you as a frightened coward. Never until Judgement Day will I
enter into peace negotiations with them, for then Caesar will execute me.

Warden : No, shame on you! This is my plan to get their commander so that I can kill
him, resulting in their dispersion and massacre.

Then he explained the whole conspiracy to him.

David : O wrongdoer, conspiracy always ends in humiliation. It is better that you
fight like a man with your army and abandon this scheme.

Warden (angry) : I am not asking for your opinion. I am ordering you to give my
message. Do not oppose me.

David : Very well.

He left still opposing the plot in his heart and said to himself, "He speaks as if he
wants to join his dead son." He paused near the Muslim camp and shouted, "O

104

Part 1: Damascus

'Arabs, has there not been enough bloodshed and killing? God will certainly
question you about this. We should therefore come to an agreement and reach peace.
Let your commander or his representative come out to speak to me."

37) David and Khalid's 4f> dialogue

David had hardly finished speaking when the armoured Khalid <& flashed out riding
a splendid horse with his spear pointed between the horse's ears. The old Christian
exclaimed, "O 'Arab, wait, be soft, I have not come for war. I am not even a soldier.
I carry neither sword, nor spear. I am an envoy who has come to give you a message.
So please put down your spear so that I can talk to you."

Khalid 4t put his spear in the saddlebow and approached David to say, "Do your job
and give your message, but be honest and upright, for the truthful man stands at the
gates of goodness while the liar falls into the pit of misguidance and is destroyed."

David : O 'Arab, you have spoken the truth. I am here because my commander
dislikes bloodshed and does not wish to fight you good gentlemen and is deeply
grieved at the deaths both sides have suffered. He therefore wishes to offer you a gift.
You should shut the gates of bloodshed. You and your honourable companions
should sign a treaty to the effect that you will not fight us, that you will not harbour
any intentions against our cities and lands and no aggression will take place against
our forts. If you do this, then we will take your word as reliable and will be pleased
with your actions. He also desires that you stop all fighting for the rest of the day and
then meet him alone first thing tomorrow morning so that the two of you can discuss
the terms of the treaty. In this way, if God wills, some good might be achieved and
the bloodshed stopped.

Khalid & thought for a while before replying, "If his words and reason for sending
you harbour some kind of plot and scheme, then know that scheming is but a toy in
my right hand - perhaps no-one has ever been born to match me in scheming. He
speaks such matters which will take him to death's door. His treachery and scheming .
will lead to destruction and humiliation for him and his army. However, if he is
sincere then, besides accepting Islam or paying Jizyah, there is no other peaceful
solution. As to his offer of money, I have no desire for it, except in the mentioned
manner of Jizyah collectable at the beginning of each year."

David disliked these words but said, "It will be as you want, but when the two of you
sit together a settlement will definitely be reached. In any case, permit me to leave
now."

105

Futuhushdm

KMlid's & words scared David so he said to himself, "The 'Arab speaks the truth.
Warden will be killed and then it will be our turn. It is better that I tell him the truth
and seek amnesty for myself and my children."

He turned to Khalid # again and said, "O 'Arab brother, I have forgotten to tell you
one thing which my master told me."

^a/id*: Whatisit?

David : Be alert and protect your life and property because Warden has conspired
against you.

Then after telling him all the details, he said, "I ask your protection for myself and
my family."

Khalid 4*> '■ If you do not spy on us or betray us in anyway then your wealth, family
and children are protected.

David : If I intended treachery then why should I have told you the whole story?

Khalid & : Which place has been selected for the ten Romans to hide in?

David : On the right-hand side of the army near the sand-hill.

He then took leave and left. Upon reaching Warden, he told him Khalid's 4» reply.
Warden was pleased and said, "I am convinced that the Cross will grant me victory."

He then summoned ten warriors and ordered them to go on foot and hide in ambush.

In the meantime, Khalid 4» met Abu 'Ubaydah <& on his way back. When Abu
'Ubaydah 4k saw him laughing, he asked, "O Abu Sulayman, may Allah keep you
smiling. What is the matter?"

Khalid 4* told him the whole story.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4g> : So what do you intend?

Khalid * : I am going alone.

Abu 'Ubaydah •& : O Abu Sulayman, I take oath that you are enough for them, but
Allah has ordered one not to present oneself for destruction. Instead He has
commanded:

106

Part 1: Damascus

11'- ' <' " ** \ '»Ti tf y \\ ^ f'

^4«J mafce reacfy against them all you can of power and steeds
of war to terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy. [8:60]

The enemy has readied ten men against you, so they total eleven. I will have no peace
about this accursed man unless you too send ten men to hide near their ambush place,
for without doubt the informer has shown you the place.

Khalid * : Yes, he did.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fc : So? Order ten soldiers to lay in ambush nearby. Then when the
accursed calls his men, you call yours. If Allah wills they will be sufficient. At the
same time we will be waiting on our horses. Once you have disposed of Allah's
enemy we will attack the army. We hope that Allah will grant us victory.

Khalid 4& : Very well, I can never oppose you.

He then summoned the following ten: 1) Rafi' bin 'Umayrah at-Tai; 2) Musayyib bin
Najiyah al-Fazari; 3) Mu'ath bin Jabal; 4) Dirar bin al-Azwar; 5) Sa'id bin Zayd bin
'Amr bin Nufayl al-' Adawi; 6) Sa'id bin 'Amir bin Jurayh; 7) Aban bin 'Uthman bin
Sa'id; 8) Qays bin Hubayrah; 9) Zufar bin Sa'id al-Bayadi and 10) 'Adi bin Hatim
at-Tai &-

He told them of the Roman plot and said, "Go and hide in the low ground on the
right-hand side of the hill. When I call out come and take on one Roman each, but
leave Allah's enemy, Warden, for me. If Allah wills, I will be enough for him."

Dirar * : This is a delicate matter which might get out of hand. These people might
prevent Warden from fighting and attack you all together and Allah forbid, harm you.
It is better that we go now to their ambush place and if we find them sleeping, we
can finish them off before morning without fighting. We will then hide in their place
until morning when you meet Warden and then come out.

Khalid * {laughing) : If this is possible then do it. Take these men over whom I
appoint you commander and place your trust in Allah that He will fulfil your desires.
If you are successful then it will be a cause for rejoicing and a good sign.

107

Futuhushdm

Dirar 4^ : I have strong hope of getting them.

38) Fruits of treachery

They left the camp with swords drawn, bidding the Muslims salam and making du'a.
Their departure was when a quarter of the night had passed. Dirar 4> walked in front
reciting this poem:

In the darkness even the Jinn are afraid of me

In this work there is nothing new to me.

Regrets to them who deceive us in ambush they are laying

Whereas we are the very roots of planning and scheming.

When it comes to pleasing his Master

A brave man does not fear or falter.

When they approached the hill, Dirar & ordered them to halt and said, "Wait here
until I bring back news of the Romans." He disrobed and went slowly under the
cover of the mountain and sand-hill with sword in hand. When he reached the
Romans, he found them exhausted from the battle and thus all were sleeping and
were not expecting an attack. He wanted to make their sleep more permanent but
then thought, "Perhaps they will awaken each other during the chaos."

So he returned to his men and said, "Glad tidings! That which you hoped for is here
and that which you feared is not. Unsheathe your swords and when you reach them
kill them in any way you please. Each one will select one Roman and then everyone
must kill his victim simultaneously. Also, avoid any noise as far as possible."

They replied, "Very well," took off their armour, unsheathed their swords and
followed Dirar 4b.

When they reached the enemy they readied their weapons, spread out and stood one
each by each Roman. They raised their swords and then instead of awakening them,
minced their necks, faces and stomachs. After the Muslims took all their weapons
and goods, Dirar 4b said, "Congratulations! This is the first victory and if Allah wills
more will follow."

The ten spent the whole night praising and thanking Allah until the sky began
brightening with dawn. They then undressed and put on the Romans' clothing and
covered their faces with cloth, lest Warden should send someone who would

108

Part 1: Damascus

discover them and spoil the whole plan. They flung the corpses into a hole and then
waited, weapons at hand.

39) Khalid <fc and Warden's dialogue

After performing Salatul Fajr, Khalid &> organised the army for battle. He dressed in
reddish clothing and put on a yellow turban. The Romans too went into battle
formation and raised their crosses aloft. A horseman emerged from their centre ranks
and shouted, "O Arabs, what has happened to the agreement which we agreed to
yesterday? Have you broken it?"

Khalid <& stepped forward and said, "We are not traitors."

Roman : Warden wishes you to come to him and engage in dialogue so that it can be
seen what matters you agree on.

Khalid 4fc : Go and tell him that I am coming without delay or fear.

The messenger returned to tell Allah's enemy, who donned highly decorated armour,
throat-guard, helmet and crown and then departed. When Khalid * saw him with all
this splendour, he said, "If Allah wills, then all that will be booty for the Muslims."

He then said to Abu 'Ubaydah 4», "Dirar has probably reached the enemy. When you
see me attack, then order the army to attack."

He then bade the Muslims salam and left reciting this poem:

O Allah, I hand my matter over to You

If death is close then forgive me.

Guide me so that good works I do

If I am deficient then forgive me.

Polytheism with my sword I will cut

Until it is completely destroyed with my caress.

O Rabb of all the worlds! I have none but

You to call unto in the time of distress.

109

Futuhushdm

Naqid bin 'Alqamah ar-Raini narrates:

I was in the centre of the army with 'Ayyad bin Ghanam when I heard Khalid *
reciting poetry. When Allah's enemy, Warden, saw him and his clothing he was
surprised and thought that he was coming to him. With this thought in mind, he went
to the hill and dismounted his mule when he neared Khalid * who also dismounted
his horse. They sat near the hill. Warden held his sword out of fear of Khalid * but
Khalid & went to sit right in front of him.

Khalid 4fr : Say whatever you want to, but speak the truth. Understand well that you
are sitting in front of a man who is not bothered with the schemes and treachery of
others for he is himself a rock of the fort of planning. In any case, say what you have
to.

Warden : O Khalid, the matter is between the two of us. Say what you want now and
refrain from bloodshed. Remember that you will be accountable before God for all
your actions and this senseless bloodshed. If it is the world that you desire and wealth
that you need, we are generously prepared to give you charity and will not be
miserly because we consider you to be the weakest of nations, suffering from drought
and dying from starvation. Now say what is acceptable to you and be satisfied with
what little we will give you.

Khalid 4» : O Christian dog, Allah has made us independant of your charity and has
permitted (the capture of) your wealth. We will divide your wealth amongst ourselves
and (enslave) your wives and children. Of course if you recite, "There is no deity but
Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" you will become our brothers. If
you refuse then you will have to pay Jiizyah in a state of humiliation. If this is also
not acceptable then the sword is the best decider between us. Allah will grant
victory to whomsoever He chooses. You have heard our offer with regard to you, if
you reject this then we can fight, and by Allah, we certainly love to fight. As for you
regarding us as weaker than you - by Allah, we regard you as equal to dogs. One
thousand of you are weak against one of us. What you have mentioned are not the
terms of surrender which those before you offered to us. If you regard me as a soft
plump target and entertain false hopes because you see me far from my people, then
do what you want. If Allah wills I will be enough for you.

40) Death of Warden

Warden, relying on his men laying in ambush, jumped up without drawing his sword
and grabbed Khalid's •&> two sides. Khalid «$. wrestled him and hit him on the side.

110

Part 1: Damascus

In the scuffle that ensued, Warden called out to his men, "Run quickly! Through the
blessings of the Cross, I have captured the 'Arab commander."

He had hardly finished his words when the Sahabah & who were hiding behind the
hill emerged with drawn swords, swooping out like eagles flinging off their (own)
armour and the (Roman) clothing they were wearing, trying to reach them quickly.
Right in front was the champion of Islam, Dirar &, roaring like a lion. He was naked
except for his loincloth and sword in hand .

Warden saw them coming, thinking them to be his men until he saw Dirar 4& leaping
like a wolf towards him and waving his sword. He started shaking and his arm
became paralysed with fear. He said to Khalid 4fe, "I beg you in the name of your God
to kill me yourself. Do not let this devil whose appearance I hate kill me."

Khalid •$> : Here is your killer.

Dirar & arrived roaring like a lion, waving his sword and reciting this poem:

/ will very soon unite Warden with his boy

The worshippers of idols will I destroy.

To please my Master this act I will do

And have my sin forgiven through its virtue.

He approached him and said, "O enemy of Allah! What has happened to your scheme
against the Sahabah of Rasulullah H?" He then pointed the sword at him, but Khalid
«£> said, "O Dirar, wait a little. Do not hasten until I order you to."

By this time, the other Sahabah & arrived, each waving his sword and wanting to kill
him, but Khalid & ordered, "Stay in your places. Leave him until I order otherwise."

Seeing this terrifying spectacle, Warden was so overwhelmed that he fell down
begging for mercy by indicating with his finger.

Khalid &> : Safety is only given to such a person who is deserving, whereas you are
such a person who violated the truce and harboured treachery in your heart but:

Oi^-ll

Allah is the best of planners. [3:54]

111

Futuhushdm

Hearing these words, Dirar 4s= felt that he had been given enough respite and hacked
at his shoulder and removing his crown said, "He who hastens for something is most
entitled to it."

They then hacked him to pieces, reddening their swords and included his robes in the
booty.

Khdlid *fe : I fear that since the Romans are awaiting their leader they might come
and attack you suddenly. It is therefore better that he be beheaded right away. Then
dress in the Roman's gear and head towards the enemy. When you near them, shout,
"Allahu Akbar!" When the Muslims hear, they will come and attack.

They went towards the enemy with Khalid *& and Dirar 4» in front. Khalid 4» was
carrying Warden's head on the end of his sword. When they turned and became
visible after being covered by the hill, the Romans thought that they were Romans
who were carrying Khalid's 4& head. They began cheering, clapping and displaying
crosses out of joy and filling the skies with their noise.

This scene confused the Muslims into thinking that disaster had befallen Khalid &.
Some started making du'a, some became terrified, some started weeping and others
started screaming. When Khalid 4& approached the enemy ranks, he held Warden's
head aloft and shouted, "O enemies of Allah, this is your general's head and I am
Khalid bin al-Walid, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah!"

He then flung the head and shouting "Allahu Akbar!", attacked them. Then Dirar <&>
and the others followed, also reciting "Allahu Akbar!"

When Abu 'Ubaydah <& saw this he ordered the troops, "O defenders of the Din,
attack!"

He charged, followed by the entire army. When the Romans saw what had happened
to their leader, they started fleeing, but the Muslims surrounded them and killed
them. There was no rock, no stone, nothing which could hide them; wherever they
went they tasted iron. From midday, the swords found no rest. The Romans scattered
like mad camels.

'Amir bin at-Tufayl ad-Dawsi <& narrates:

I was in the army of Abu 'Ubaydah <&. mounted on a horse of Damascus. We pursued
the Christians until we reached a rough road where we saw a dust-cloud rising from
a distance. We thought that it was reinforcements sent by Heraclius so we went on

112

Part 1: Damascus

alert, but when they came near we discovered them to be an army sent by Abu Bakr
4» to help us. Since the Romans were fleeing in the same direction as the Muslim
army was coming from, they were killed and their wealth included in the booty.

Ath-Thaqafi narrates that Yunus bin 'Abdil A'la narrated in al-Masjid al-
Haram:

The army which came to reinforce the Muslims at Ajnadayn when the Christians
were defeated was under the command of 'Amr bin al-'As bin Wail as-Sahmi. They
did not arrive until the day Rome was defeated.

It is narrated that more than 50,000 of the 90,000 Romans at Ajnadayn were killed -
any smaller amount is impossible. In the confusion of the battle, some of them killed
each other while the scattered survivors fled to Caesarea and Damascus. The
Muslims gained more booty than they had ever got in any previous battle. The silver
and gold crosses alone were uncountable. Khalid 4fe gathered all the booty including
Warden's crown and said, "I am not giving you a grain's worth now, but will
distribute it after the conquest of Damascus if Allah wills." j

The battle of Ajnadayn took place on Saturday 6 Jumada al-Ula 13 Hijri, 23 days
before Abu Bakr's 4» demise.

(Abu Bakr •$> reads Khalid 's & letter one month later, so either a wrong date is given
or 23 days is wrong - translator 's note)

41) Khalid's & letter to Abu Bakr &

After the aforementioned events, Khalid 4» wrote the following letter to Abu Bakr -
to inform him of the victory:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : Khalid bin al- Walid

To : The Khalifah of Rasululldh M

As-Salamu 'Alaykum

I praise Allah besides whom there is no other deity and send
salutations on Rasululldh.

113

Futuhusham

I praise and thank Allah that the Muslims are well and the
Disbelievers destroyed. The sparks of their fire have been cooled
and they have been utterly defeated. I confronted the Roman
forces at the Field of Ajnddayn where Warden, the governor of
Hims, was. Despite them making great preparations; coming out
with great pomp and splendour; raising their crosses; and
taking oaths upon their religion that they would never flee under
any condition, we attacked them relying on Allah. Allah knew
what was in our hearts and granted us patience, help and
victory. Defeat encircled them and we slew them in everyplace,
in every ditch, in every field. When we counted their dead we
found 50,000. From the Muslims, 575 were martyred of which
20-25 were Ansdr and Himy arts, 30 from Makkah and the rest
from other peoples. I make du 'a that Allah includes them all in
the ranks of the martyrs.

I have written this letter on Thursday 2 Jumddd al-Ukhrd. We
are now heading for Damascus so make du 'a that Allah grants
us victory. Convey my saldm to all the Muslims. Was-saldmu
'alayka.

He gave the letter to 'Abdurahman bin Humayd saying, "Take it to al-Madinah,"
while he himself headed for Damascus.

Abu Bakr °& would leave al-Madinah daily after Salatul Fajr for news on Syria. One
day as he was leaving al-Madinah as was his habit, Ibn Humayd was seen coming.
The Sahabah 4> hurriedly asked, "From where are you coming?"

Ibn Humayd : From Syria - Allah has granted the Muslims victory.

Abu Bakr 4s> immediately fell into prostration out of thanks. Ibn Humayd went to him
and said, "O Khalifah of Rasulullah iH, lift your head for Allah has comforted you by
granting the Muslims victory."

He lifted his head and softly went through the letter and then after absorbing it, read
it out to the others. This news spread like lightning throughout al-Madinah. The
people eagerly ran to hear it, so he read out the letter before everyone once again.

114

Part 1: Damascus

When the people of Makkah, Hijaz and Yaman heard of the Muslim victories and
booty gained from the Romans, they too yearned to go to Syria to earn (religious)
reward. Thus the inhabitants, chiefs and prominent men of Makkah went to al-
Madinah under the leadership of Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb & and Ghaydaq bin
Hisham to seek permission from Abu Bakr * to go to Syria. 'Umar 4» did not
consider this appropriate and said to Abu Bakr .#>, "Actually these people bear hatred
for the Muslims in their hearts, so do not give them permission. Allah's Word is most
high and theirs is most low. They are still on their Disbelief and wish to extinguish
Allah's Light but He will complete and perfect it even if they dislike it. Our claim
and declaration is that besides Allah there is no deity but these people oppose it.
When Allah honoured our Din and helped implement our Laws, they became
Muslims out of fear of the sword. Now that they have heard that Allah's army has
gained victory over the Romans, they have come to us to send them to the enemy so
that they can equal the First Muslims, that is the Muhajirin and Ansar. I feel that you
should definitely not permit them to go there.

Abu Bakr 4e> : I will not oppose you.

When the people of Makkah heard of this, they gathered and went to Abu Bakr <$>
who was with a group of Muslims in al-Masjid an-Nabawi. 'Umar * was on his left
and 'Ali 4&> on his right while the Syrian conquests were being discussed. The
Quraysh made salam, sat in front of him and consulted each other as to who should
speak first. Eventually, Abu Sufyan & said to 'Umar &, "O 'Umar, it is true that in
the Pre-Islamic period there existed enmity between us, but since Allah guided us,
we have cleaned our hearts with regard to you because Faith wipes out Polytheism.
You on the other hand still look to the past. Why do you still keep old grudges and
renewed enmity which will not be wiped away? Can we hope that you will wipe
away your ill feeling towards us? We know that your rank is higher than ours and that
you overtake us in Faith and Jihad. We acknowledge your status and do not deny it."

'Umar & felt ashamed and kept quiet. He started perspiring on his forehead out of
embarrassment and then said, "By Allah! I did not mean what you understand. I only
wished to avoid violence and evil. You people still have within you the good manly
qualities of Pre-Islamic times. You still maintain your greatness through lineage and
tribe."

Abu Sufyan 4fe : I make the Khalifah and yourself witness that I dedicate myself to
the Path of Allah.

All the chiefs of Makkah made similar statements until 'Umar *fe became pleased and
Abu Bakr *fe made the following du'a, "O Allah, grant them better than what they

115

Futuhushdm

hope for and desire. Grant them a good reward for what they do. Grant them victory
over their enemies and do not make their enemies victorious. Indeed You have power
over everything."

After a few days, a Yamani army arrived under the command of 'Amr bin
Ma'dikarab 4& also intending to go to Syria. While they were encamped Malik bin
al-Ashtar an-Nakha'i 4& arrived with the same intention. He and his family lodged by
'Ali <&. Malik <$> loved him very much and had participated with him in several
expeditions during the time of Rasulullah S. Thus these people together with the
Jurhum tribe formed an army of close to 9,000.

42) Abu Bakr's & letter to Khalid &

When the army was prepared, Abu Bakr 4» wrote the following letter:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, the Khalifah of Rasulullah

To : Khalid bin al-Walid and the other Muslims (with him).

I praise that Pure Being besides Whom there is no other deity
and send salutations on His Messenger, Muhammad. I command
you to fear Allah in all conditions - in open and in secret, to be
soft with the Muslims, to take only such work from them which
they have strength to do, to overlook their faults and to consult
them in every matter. I am overjoyed to hear of the conquests
Allah has granted you, the help He has granted and the defeat
He has inflicted upon the enemy. Advance upon your horses,
conquering the lands of the Disbelievers until you reach the
Gardens of Syria (Damascus) and Allah grants you its conquest.
Thereafter advance against Hims and Ma 'rat then Antioch.

Saldm and Allah 's mercy and blessings be on you and all your
companions. I am sending to you the warriors of Yaman, the
lions ofNakha ' and the chiefs ofMakkah. 'Amr bin Ma 'dikarab

116

Part 1: Damascus

and Malik bin al-Ashtar will be of special assistance unto you.
When you reach the great mountainous city of Antioch and find
Heraclius Caesar there make peace with him if he offers peace
and fight him if he wants to fight. Do not cross the mountains
until you have written to me. I believe that Heraclius 's death is
soon.

% > - _^ * , } *.
Ojll 2i£jli jj^aJ (Jj

Every soul shall taste death. [3:185]

Was-saldm.

Abu Bakr «fe> then put the letter in an envelope and stamped it with Rasulullah's S
seal. He then gave it to Ibn Humayd, saying, "You were the messenger from Syria,
so you take the answer to Syria."

He took the letter and quickly reached Syria on his camel.

43) Return to Damascus

Nafi' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

Khalid 4» started heading for Damascus as soon as he had sent his letter to Abu Bakr
•#. When the Damascenes heard of the slaughter of the warriors, they shut the fort
out of terror. Villagers and townspeople abandoned their districts and took refuge in
Damascus. The fort was prepared and swords, shields, spears and catapults put on the
city walls, and flags and crosses implanted.

By the time Khalid 4& arrived, Damascus was fully fortified. In his army was 'Amr
bin al-As and Yazid bin Abi Sufyan ,& with 2,000 men each (in another copy 9,000)
followed by Shurahbil bin Hasanah & and 'Amir bin Rabi'ah 4& bringing 1,000 each
and then Mu'ath bin Jabal 4s& brought along another 2,000. When the Damascenes
saw the Muslims coming like the waves of the sea, they felt their defeat to be
imminent.

117

Futuhushdm

Khalid * encamped at the Monastery, half a mile from Damascus and then
summoning his generals, said to Abu 'Ubaydah 4&, "You know how these Christians
betrayed and attacked us when we left. Therefore you should encamp at al-Jabiyah
Gate with your troops and not give them any respite or treaty of safety lest they again
do some treachery. Do not abandon your position under any circumstances. Remain
close to the Gate and constantly send small parties on a rotation basis against them
so that they have no respite. The long stay here and the closure of the fort should not
dishearten you, there is no need to hurry. Be patient, victory is always achieved
through patience. However, never abandon your position and save yourself from
their treachery."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe : Very well, if Allah wills it will be so.

So saying, he took a quarter of the army and encamped at al-Jabiyah Gate where, a
short distance from the gate, a Taifi tent of camel's hair was pitched for him.

Maslamah bin 'Awf narrates from Salim bin 'Abdillah from Hajjaj al-Ansari:

I asked my grandfather, Rifa'ah bin 'Asim 4fe, who was with Abu 'Ubaydah 's army
at Damascus, "Abu 'Ubaydah had a lot of booty captured from Ajnadayn, Busra,
Shakhurii and Hawran from which there must have been thousands of tents. So why
was that same camel-hair Taifi tent pitched for him which he first had?"

He replied, "O my son, that was due to his simplicity and humility so that he would
not become involved in worldly beauty and love for it. Also, he wished to show the
Romans that the Muslims were not coming out of love for the world and love of
territorial expansion, but for Allah's pleasure, desire for the Hereafter and to
establish Allah's Din."

"O my son, the condition of the Muslims at that time was such that when they
camped at any Roman city they would pitch their own old tents separately and pitch
the (captured Roman) tents some distance away. Therein they would only keep
horses, weapons, armour, daggers and shields and no-one would go near to them. If
someone got caught in the rain, he would rather get soaked than take refuge in such
a tent wherein Allah's name alone was not taken. Our attitude to their weapons was
such that we would rather wear stringed-up date-pits instead of wearing their
armour."

118

Part 1: Damascus

44) The second siege of Damascus

When Abu 'Ubaydah & reached al-Jabiyah Gate, he ordered an assault. Thereafter
Khalid 4& called Yazid bin Abi Sufyan * and said to him, "Attack the Small Gate
with your men, but be protective over their lives. So if anyone comes out against you
and you find yourselves weak, then inform me and I will immediately come to your
aid."

He then called Shurahbil bin Hasanah 4t> and said to him, "Target the gate which the
governor, Thomas, is supervising, but be careful because I have heard that he is very
cunning and daring. Heraclius greatly loves him due to his bravery and, in fact, gave
him his daughter in marriage. If he attacks, then inform me so that I can help you if
Allah wills."

Shurahbil 4» : There is none amongst my troops whom he can dupe.

Khalid & called 'Amr bin al-'As & next and ordered him, "Camp at Faradis Gate
and make no movement from there because I have heard that they have gathered
there."

'Amr •& went there and then Qays bin Hubayrah was called and told, "Go to Fajr (in
other copies 'Kaysan') Gate." He too went as instructed.

The Eastern Gate remained shut without any fighting taking place there, so the
'Arabs called it the 'Peace Gate'.

After making the above preparations, Khalid * took the remaining troops and
camped at the Eastern Gate. He called Dirar^ and gave him 2,000 men and said,
"Patrol all sides of the city. If any difficulty arises or a Roman spy is seen, inform me
immediately so that I can take appropriate action."

Dirdr 4fc : It pains my heart to leave battle and remain in waiting.

Khalid 4^ : Alright. You may engage in battle for as long as possible.

Dirdr 4fc : If that is the case, then I leave in Allah's name.

He then left while reciting the following poem until he reached his destination like
an angry lion:

O Damascus, a Dirdr has come who will do you great damage,
With my sword I will turn your necks into wreckage.

119

Futuhusham

It is sharp and glittering, I will set you all aright,
And drive you away through Allah 's Word's might.

(Dirdr literally means great harmer - translator 's note).

Khalid ■#> remained at the Eastern Gate. When his men launched an attack, the
Romans vowed, "We will fight to the last man and will not let our women and
children fall into their hands," and started firing arrows. Both sides fired arrows and
stones from catapults to such an extent that most of the men on both sides were
wounded.

'Abdurahman bin Humayd arrived with Abu Bakr's 4h letter when Khalid 4& and
Rafi' bin 'Umayrah were engaged in combat at the Eastern Gate. He headed towards
the Eastern Gate where he handed the letter to Khalid 4& who was very pleased to
read it and announced to the Muslims the coming of Abu Sufyan 4b, 'Amr bin
Ma'dikarab az-Zubaydi 4k and their army. The news spread throughout the army.

The Muslims fought the whole day. Then at night-fall the two parties separated, with
every Muslim general maintaining his position at his appointed gate. Khalid 4k had
Abu Bakr's 4» letter read out at each gate causing the Muslims great joy to hear of
the coming reinforcements. The night was spent in anticipation of the morning's
battle while each division appointed men to guard their own camp. Dirar 4fe spent the
whole night patrolling the whole army, in case the enemy should attack.

The Muslims passed the night raising their voices with the cry of, "Allahu Akbar!
Allahu Akbar!" While the Romans too were calling out their special words and
shouting. They hung flags from the city walls, rang bells and burnt such fires that
turned the night into day.

45) The Damascenes go to Thomas

The Damascenes gathered by the city-chiefs and elders and said, "What should we
do?" Some said, "It is better that we offer the Muslims whatever amount they want
for peace." Others supported this and said, "Yes, at Ajnadayn they were able to face
armies that included patricians and the imperial family. Despite the Roman army
being bigger, they ground them like grain. We do not have greater numbers here nor
fighting skills, so how can we face them?" Still others opined that Heraclius's son-
in-law, Thomas, should be asked for his opinion. Whether he decided on surrender or
fighting, .they would agree. They went and found armed soldiers at Thomas's gate,
who asked them, "Why have you come?"

120

Part 1: Damascus

Damascenes : We wish to meet Caesar's son-in-law.

Soldiers : We will request permission inside.

Permission was granted. They entered and kissed the ground before Thomas and
remained standing until he permitted them to sit. They were clearly afraid and
depressed.

Thomas : You have come on such a dark night. Why?

Damascenes : O sir, pay some attention to the disaster which afflicts us these days
and please find some remedy for it. We trust you and rely on you. Either we agree to
whatever the 'Arabs demand, or you write to Caesar for reinforcements, or you
yourself should defend us. Failing this, there is no averting our destruction.

Thomas (laughing) : Shame on you. You are the ones who had encouraged Damascus
to defiance in the first place. I swear by Caesar's head that I do not even consider the
Muslims worthy of fighting. They cannot withstand a shower of arrows. If they come
close to me then I will make their (dead) ancestors meet them and fully avenge my
people. Be at ease in your city for even if the gates are opened for them, they will not
have the guts to enter.

Damascenes : O sir, the Muslims are very fierce and there is more to them than you
have described. Their smallest and oldest man is capable of taking on ten to 100 men.
Their leader is so fierce that he cannot be confronted. If you wish to keep us and our
wealth safe, then either make peace or come with us to fight them.

Thomas : My people, firstly, you are more than them; secondly, your city is well
fortified and the fort is closed; thirdly, besides this city you have other cities; and
fourthly, you have enough weapons, armour and equipment. On the other hand, these
people are naked and bare-footed. Where do they have so much equipment?

Damascenes : O sir, they have our equipment and numerous weapons which they
captured in Palestine and Busra and which they took from us at Bayt Luhya when we
fought them with Calius and Uriel. Then they looted Paulus and his brother at
Shakhura. That is besides what they have gained at Ajnadayn. Yes, they have taken
much wealth and equipment from us but are not concerned about using it. This is
because their Prophet has said that whoever of them is killed goes to Paradise
forever and whichever non-Muslim is killed is flung into Hell, so they fearlessly
charge, bare-chested and bare-footed so as to achieve Paradise according to what he
said.

121

Futuhushdm

Thomas (laughing) : Your simple-mindedness makes them more daring. These ideas
have set in your minds, so now these subservient slave people have aimed at you. If
you only fight them with a true heart then you will massacre them.

Damascenes : O sir, remove this affliction in whatever way you choose, but
remember that if you do not help us then we will open the gates for them to achieve
peace.

Thomas pondered for some time and concluded that they might act upon their word,
so he said, "Do not worry. Tomorrow we will go out together to fight them. We will
pick out their chiefs and kill them and we will kill and drive the enemy away.
However, in such a heavy battle you will have to fight and be my right hand. If you
are willing to sacrifice your lives then you will be successful.

Damascenes : We will be with you, in fact we shall be ahead of you. We will keep
fighting for as long as one of us remains alive.

Thomas : Very good. Utter disaster will befall the 'Arabs.

They thanked him and left, guarding the fort the whole night. They lit fires at the
towers and gates, awaiting Thomas's orders.

On the other side, the Sahabah <& were turning towards Allah, reciting "Allahu
Akbar!" and "La ilaha illallah!" and sending salutations on Rasulullah &. Khalid •&>
had left the women and children with the booty at the Monastery while Rafi' bin
'Umayrah stood guard the whole night with the vanguard at the Eastern Gate.

At dawn, each general led his men in Salatul Fajr and after leading his men in Salatul
Fajr, Abu 'Ubaydah 4& gave orders for an assault. "Do not lose heart in the battle!"
Abu 'Ubaydah 4» advised his men, "Whoever makes an effort today will be at ease
tomorrow. Be cautious in your archery for arrows miss and hit. Do not sit on your
horses, for the enemies of Allah are in a high place, thus making you easy targets.
Keep helping each other and remain steadfast against the enemy." They therefore
advanced on foot, covering themselves with shields, while Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4»
advanced on the Small Gate, Qays bin Hubayrah on the Kaysan Gate, Rafi' bin
'Umayrah on the Eastern Gate, Shurahbil & on the Thomas Gate and 'Amr bin al-
'As as-Sahmi & on the Faradis Gate.

122

Part 1: Damascus

Rifa'ah bin Qays narrates:

I asked my father, Qays, who was present at the conquest of Damascus, "Did the
Muslims attack on foot or on horseback on the day you conquered Damascus?"

He replied, "Besides Dirar's 2,000 horsemen who were patrolling the city borders to
avoid sudden enemy attacks, all the Muslims went on foot. Whenever he reached a
gate he would stop and say, "Be patient, be patient against Allah's enemies.
Tomorrow on the Day of Judgement, you will be resurrected in the shade of Allah's
mercy. If they come out of the city walls then Allah is quite capable of punishing
them from above or below. If Allah wills, you will conquer."

Rifa'ah continues: The two sides engaged each other, the archers fired and the
Romans fired a shower of arrows and catapulted rocks from the fort but the Muslims
remained firm. Thomas then came out of the gate bearing his name. He was
renowned in Damascus as a great worshipper, ascetic, warrior and sage. No greater
worshipper or ascetic could be found in the cities of the Christians, nor did they
consider anyone more pious than him. Now he came in a great state, carrying a huge
cross which he implanted at the tower. All the patricians and important Christians
surrounded him. Someone else was carrying a Bible, which was also placed by the
cross. The Christians started shouting, of which some words could be perceived.
Thomas put his hand on a verse of the Bible and said, "O God, help him who is on
the truth. Grant us victory and deliver us not unto the enemy. Destroy the wrong-
doers, You know them well. O God, we seek your help in the name of the Cross and
through the intercession of Him who was crucified, displayed divine signs and
miracles, sought Your closeness, is always with You, came to this world and then
returned and brought us the Gospel from You. Grant victory to the guided ones."

All the Christians said, "Amen."

Rifa'ah says: Shurahbil bin Hasanah narrated that to me. At that time he and
Romanus, the governor of Busra, were at the Thomas Gate. Romanus listened and
translated into 'Arabic. These words of Disbelief and accusation against 'Isa bin
Maryam 8¥9 enraged Shurahbil 4» and the Muslims so they asked Allah's protection
(from such evil words) and advanced to attack. Shurahbil & shouted, "O accursed
one, you have lied! Tsa sKB is just like Adam SJSl according to Allah. He created him
from earth, kept him alive and then took him."

He then attacked.

123

Futuhushdm

46) The attack on Damascus

The Muslims fought more fiercely than they had ever done before and the accursed
Thomas also fought fiercely with his men starting a shower of arrows and stones.
Many Muslims were thus wounded, including Aban bin Sa'id bin al-'As 4» who was
struck with a poisoned arrow. He extracted the arrow and bound the wound with his
turban, but the poison had already penetrated his body and he fell face down. His
comrades picked him up and took him to the army They wanted to remove his
turban to treat him, but he forbade them saying, "If you remove it, then my life will
end instantly. By Allah! I have received that which I have been asking Allah for and
hoping for." They disobeyed him and untied it. They had not yet finished when he
looked towards the sky, pointed his finger and said, "I testify that there is no deity but
Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. This is what the Most Gracious
promised and the Messengers have been truthful, " and instantly his soul departed.
May Allah have mercy on him.

He had just married his cousin, Umm Aban bint 'Utbah bin Rabi'ah, at Ajnadayn.
Her hands and head still had traces of myrtle and perfume of the wedding night. She
was from a greatly daring family and would herself fight on foot. When she heard of
her husband's martyrdom, she came stumbling anxious and confused and stood at his
body. She remained patient in expectation of reward and said nothing besides, "Be
blessed in what you have received. You have gone to the mercy of the Rabb of all the
worlds and to the wide-eyed virgin damsels of Paradise. You have gone to that Rabb
of all the worlds who united us and then separated us. By Allah! Because I long for
you, I will engage in Jihad to such an extent that I will be united with you. This is
because neither have I seen you properly and taken comfort in you, and neither have
you. Allah decided that my desire should not be fulfilled. I have made it forbidden
upon myself that any man after you should touch me and I dedicate myself to the
Path of Allah. I am hoping that we shall meet soon."

It is said that no women was found who was more patient than her. The burial
preparations were made with Khalid 4» leading the Salatul Janazah and then he was
buried. His grave is visited up to this day. Umm Aban did not wait at all at the grave,
but armed herself with his weapons and joined the army without informing Khalid
*fe. She asked the men, "At which gate was my husband martyred?"

They replied, "At the Thomas Gate which is named after Heraclius's son-in-law. In
fact, Thomas killed your husband."

So she went to ShurahbiPs 4k army and fought fiercely She was very good at archery.

124

Part 1: Damascus

Shurahbil 4t> narrates:

I was that day at the Thomas Gate and saw someone in front of Thomas who was
carrying a cross and gesturing to his army. He was shouting, "O God, help the Cross
and help him who seeks the Cross's protection. O God, manifest his victory and
increase his prestige."

I was still looking at him when Umm Aban fired an arrow which hit its target. He
dropped the cross with its glittering jewels. Every Muslim rushed to pick it up and
we were showered with stones. Yet the Muslims still rushed ahead, falling over each
other to be the first to get it. When Allah's enemy, Thomas, saw the Muslims
rushing in droves at the cross, he felt humiliated and sensed his destruction. He
thought to himself that Heraclius would certainly discover that he had let the 'Arabs
get the cross, so he tightened his belt, took his sword and shield and said to his men,
"Whoever wants to come with me, come, and whoever wants to stay, stay. I am going
to fight them and drive them off, thus giving my heart peace."

He then ordered his men to open the gate and rushed forth. When his men saw this
and realised his bravery, they all followed him and swarmed out like locusts. The
Muslims were surrounding the cross, but when they saw the Romans charging they
handed it over to Shurahbil & and split up to take on the enemy in single combat.
From above the gate and from every direction they were struck with stones and
arrows, so Shurahbil <&> called out, "O Muslims, fall back to save yourselves from the
arrows coming from Allah's enemies."

They fell back until they were safe from the arrows. Thomas came rushing after them
striking left and right, bellowing like a camel with his warriors all around him.
Shurahbil 4& called out, "O people, give up your lives to seek Paradise. Please your
Creator through your actions for He is not pleased with fleeing. Do not flee, but
attack them and go towards them. May Allah bless you."

The Muslims launched a vicious attack in which the two parties ended up mixed
amongst each other, striking with their swords and firing arrows. When the
Damascenes heard that Thomas had gone out of his gate and that the Great Cross had
fallen from the bearer's hands, they were absolutely terrified. Thomas began
searching for it until he found it with Shurahbil «&>. He could not control himself and
attacked saying, "Hand over the Cross! O motherless one, you have met great
misfortune."

125

Futuhushdm

Shurahbil <$> flung the cross and confronted Thomas. When he saw the cross lying on
the ground, he and his companions shrieked terrifyingly. When Aban's <& widow saw
Allah's enemy, Thomas, attacking Shurahbil * she asked, "Who is that?"

Someone said, "He is Caesar's son-in-law, your husband's killer."

When she heard that, she attacked fiercely until she got near enough to Thomas to
shoot an arrow at him. The Romans threatened her, but she never turned to them until
she had him in her target saying, "In name of Allah and through the blessings of
Rasulullah S."

Thomas was reaching out to Shurahbil & when her arrow struck him square in the
right eye and stuck there. He fled screaming, while she tried to get another shot at
him. The Romans tried to avoid their misfortune and rushed to her, so a group of
Muslims ran to defend her. When she was safe, she started firing again, hitting a
Christian in the chest who fell to the ground.

The first to flee that day was Thomas, shrieking all the way to the gate due to the
intense pain caused by the arrow. Shurahbil 4» called out, "Be destroyed! Catch the
Roman dog. Attack the dogs to catch the enemy of Allah."

So they attacked until they drove the Romans back to the gate where the people
defended them with arrows and stones. The Muslims returned to their camp after
having killed great numbers of the enemy and seizing their booty, wealth and cross.

Thomas entered the city and shut the gates. The doctors came to extract the arrow
from his eye but were unsuccessful, so they sawed it off, leaving the point in his eye.
They asked to take him to his house, but he refused and sat at the gate entrance until
the pain subsided. They said, "Go home for the remainder of the night, for today we
have suffered two tragedies - the tragedy of the Cross and the tragedy of your eye.
All this has been caused by the archer. That nation is invincible, so we ask you to
surrender."

Thomas became angry and said, "Be destroyed! Should I forget about the Great
Cross being taken and my eye being lost? When this news reaches Caesar, he will
accuse me of weakness and helplessness. No, they will be pursued under all
circumstances. I will recover my Cross and avenge my eyes with 1,000 of their eyes
and take back all that they have looted. Then I will go to their master in al-Hijaz,
wipe out his traces, destroy their houses, level the habitations and turn their cities into
abodes of wild animals."

126

Part 1: Damascus

The accursed one went to the top of the wall with his eye bandaged and encouraged
the people, "Do not be afraid and do not fear that which has appeared to you from
the 'Arabs. I guarantee that the Cross will strike them down."

So they became firm and launched a violent assault until Shurahbil <$> sent a message
to Khalid <& to inform him of the situation. The messenger said, 'Thomas, the enemy
of Allah, has launched a massive attack against us, so we request reinforcements
because the battle is fiercer here than at the other gate."

Khalid & : All praise belongs to Allah! But how did you manage to capture the cross
from the Romans?

Messenger : A man was carrying it in front of Thomas when Aban's widow shot him
with an arrow. It fell towards us so Allah's enemy came out, but Aban's widow shot
him in the right eye.

Khalid * : Thomas is greatly respected by Caesar and is the one that is preventing
them from surrendering. May Allah suffice us from his evil. Return to Shurahbil and
tell him, "Guard that which I have ordered you to, for every division is engaged in
its own problems and cannot come to you. However, remember that I am nearby and
that Dirar is patrolling the city and is therefore also there for you."

The messenger returned and informed Shurahbil 4fe who remained patient and fought
on for the rest of the day.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4t rejoiced when he heard of what had occured between Shurahbil <$>
and Thomas and his capture of the cross.

47) The night attack

In the morning, Thomas summoned the city elders and warriors. When they arrived,
he said, "O Christians, a greatly untrustworthy nation has descended upon you. They
have arrived and now inhabit your lands. So how can you be so patient when your
women are dishonoured and your children imprisoned? Your women are now their
slave-girls and your children their slaves. The Cross did not fall except out of anger
at your desire for peace with the 'Arabs and so it had no relationship left with you. I
went out against them and would not have returned until I had completely finished
them off, but was struck in my eye. I will definitely take revenge and pluck out 1 ,000
'Arab eyes. I will get to the Cross and soon reclaim it from them."

127

Futuhushdm

Damascenes : Here we are present before you and are pleased with whatever you are
pleased with for yourself. If you order us to go out, we will go and if you order us to
fight, we will fight.

Thomas : Know that he who bravely tackles war does not fear anything. I have
resolved to attack tonight and catch them in their places for the night terrifies and you
are better acquainted with the terrain than they are. All of you must prepare for
battle tonight and go out of the gate. I shall not return until I have completed these
tasks. When I have finished them off, I will take their commander as a prisoner to
Caesar so that he may do with him as he pleases.

Damascenes : Out of love and honour (we obey).

Then when they split up into groups at each gate, Thomas said, "Do not fear, for their
leader is far from you. There are none here except their lower-classes and freed-
slaves, so grind them like you grind wheat."

He called one group to go out from Faradis Gate against 'Amr bin al-'As 4& while he
departed from the Thomas Gate with every great warrior. Hanging a gong on the wall
he said, "The sounding of the gong will be the signal for you to rush out of the Gates
and slay the sleeping enemy. If you do this, you will break them so that they will
never heal again."

They rejoiced and went to their stations, awaiting the signal to attack the Muslims.
Thomas called a Roman and said to him, "Take a gong and climb up the wall with it.
When you see us opening the gate, sound it lightly so that only our people can hear
it." He then led with his group, all armoured and carrying swords. He carried an
Indian blade and wore a Persian helmet which Heraclius had gifted to him. The
Romans kept their swords still until they reached the gate where Thomas waited for
their numbers to be completed. When he saw them completed he said, "O people!
When we open the gate, rash out at full speed towards the enemy. Attack them and
place your swords in them. Do not spare anyone who begs for mercy, except the
commander. If anyone sees the Cross he should grab it."

They responded, "For love and honour!"

Thomas ordered someone to go to the man with the gong and order him to strike it
lightly. He opened the gate and they rushed out against the unaware Sahabah <&-
However, some of the Sahabah 4> were awake. Upon hearing the noise they woke up
the others. The Muslims sprang up like striking pythons so that they were alert when
the enemy arrived. They attacked the disorganised enemy with their swords under

128

Part 1: Damascus

cover of darkness until Khalid & heard. He stood up anxious about the yelling and
shouted, "Come forth to the aid of Islam! By the Lord of the Ka'bah, my people have
been tricked - O Allah, keep watch over them with the Eye which never sleeps. O
Most Merciful of those who show mercy."

Khalid * went forth without armour or headgear, wearing only a linen Syrian robe.
He and 400 horsemen rode like angry lions until they reach the Eastern Gate where
they found the group fighting Rafi' bin 'Umayrah and his men. The Muslim voices
were raised with, "La ilaha illallahu!" and "Allahu Akbar!" while the enemy had
been looking down from the walls and screaming since the Muslims awoke. Khalid
& attacked the Romans proclaiming, "Glad tidings, O Muslims. Help has come from
the Rabb of all the worlds. I am the valiant horseman. I am Khalid bin al- Walid." He
attacked them, throwing their warriors to the ground and killing their men, all the
while worrying about Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> and the Muslims at the other gates whose
screams could be heard. The Romans, Jews and Christians were all screaming.

Sinan bin 'Awf narrates: I asked my cousin, Qays, "Were the Jews also fighting
you?" He narrated:

Yes, they were shooting arrows at us from above the walls. At that time Khalid *
feared what the enemy of Allah was doing to Shurahbil 4& who was in dire straits
with none other facing equal difficulty. The first to reach the Muslims was Thomas.
They patiently fought him as he shouted, "Where is your despicable general who
afflicted me? I am the defender of the Cross."

He wounded several Muslims. When Shurahbil •& heard him he turned to him and
said, "I am your man, I am your rival, I am the exterminator of you all, the seizer of
your cross and the scribe of the revelation of Rasulullah H."

Thomas sprang to him like a lion but found Shurahbil 4i> to be a fierce opponent and
thus the two rivals remained fighting until half the night had passed.

Aban's <& widow was in Shurahbil's & army and displayed the greatest patience
while shooting her arrow. Her every arrow found its target until she killed many
Romans. They began avoiding her until one Roman appeared, whom she shot in the
throat. He screamed to his comrades who gathered against her and took her prisoner,
while the enemy of Allah died. Shurahbil * struck Thomas with a terrific blow
which he blocked with his leather shield, shattering the sword. Thomas intended
taking him prisoner when two Roman horsemen grabbed him with the Muslim
cavalry coming behind them. When these Muslims attacked the Romans, Umm Aban

129

Futuhushdm

broke free. She attacked them and called out. 'Abdurahman bin AM Bakr ^ and
Aban bin 'Uthman bin 'Affan led the Muslims to her and killed the two Roman
horsemen. Thomas returned to Damascus unsuccessful.

Tamim bin 'Adi who witnessed the conquest of Syria narrates:

I was in the tent of Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe who was performing Salah when he heard a
scream. He said, "There is no power to do good and no ability to avoid evil except
through Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty." He put on his armour and called his
men to prepare them. He saw the Muslims in an uproar and fighting, so he overtook
both the (Roman) right-wing and left-wing advancing on the gate shouting, "Allahu
Akbar!" The Muslims also began shouting, "Allahu Akbar!" When the Christians
heard, they thought that the Muslims were attacking from behind so they retreated
while Abu 'Ubaydah •$> mowed them down.

I (al-Waqidi) have been informed that not a single Roman survived Abu 'Ubaydah's
<$> attack that night. During the fight, Dirar & arrived soaked in blood. Khalid 4& said,
"What has happened behind you?"

Dirar 4» : Glad tidings, O commander, I did not come to you until I slaughtered 150
men this night and my men killed such a number which cannot be counted. I have
sufficed you against the threat coming from the Small Gate against Yazid bin Abi
Sufyan. Then I went to the other gates and killed many men.

Khalid 4s> was pleased with that. They then all went to Shurahbil & and thanked him
for what he had achieved. On that moonlit night, such events happened the like of
which had not been seen before and thousands of Romans were slain.

48) The surrender

The city elders went to Thomas and said, "Sir, we advised you, but you did not heed
us. Most of us have been killed and they have such a leader, Khalid bin al-Walid, who
cannot be overcome but he is more pliant towards peace than you. So if you do not
agree, we will make peace ourselves and you can do as you please. Thomas pleaded,
"O my people, give me a chance until I write to Caesar to inform him of what has
befallen us." He immediately wrote the following letter:

130

Part 1: Damascus

To : Merciful Caesar

From : Your son-in-law, Thomas

The 'Arabs have come upon us like the white of an eye
surrounding the pupil. They massacred the Ajnddayn army and
then returned to us and killed many of us. I went out against
them but lost my eye, so now I have resolved to surrender and
render Jizyah to the 'Arabs. You should either come here
yourself or send reinforcements or order us to make peace with
them, for indeed our difficulties have intensified.

He then folded it, sealed it and sent it off.

In the morning the Muslims began preparing for battle. Khalid <& sent a message to
each general ordering him to attack from his position. So Abu 'Ubaydah & mounted
his horse and launched an attack. Matters became so bad for Damascus that the
people begged Khalid .&> for respite. He refused and insisted on battle. The situation
continued like this until the siege began severely pressing the Damascenes who were
waiting for Caesar's order. They gathered and said to each other, "We cannot bear
this any longer. If we go out to fight the 'Arabs they will overcome us and if we leave
them the siege will just worsen. Therefore, let us agree to peace on their terms."

An old man who had read the ancient scriptures said, "O my people, I swear by God
that even if Caesar comes with his whole army, he will not be able to defend you
from them. I have read in the Book that Muhammad is the seal of the Prophets and
that his religion will conquer every other religion. So it will be better if you submit
and give them whatever they want." They inclined towards him because of his great
learning and knowledge of predictions of the future wars and said, "What is your
opinion, for that man at the Eastern Gate is a great bloodshedder."

Old man : If you wish this, then go to the man at al-J&biyah Gate where someone who
knows 'Arabic should call out loudly, "O 'Arabs, safety!" until we go down to them
and speak to their general.

Abu Hurayrah £> narrates:

AM 'Ubaydah & had stationed men near the gates fearing a raid like that of the
previous night. That night was the turn of Banu Daws under 'Amir bin at-Tufayl ad-

131

Futuhushdm

Dawsi 4fc. While we were sitting near the gate we heard the Romans calling out, so I
rushed to Abu 'Ubaydah & and told him. He was pleased and said, "Go and tell them
that they have our guarantee of safety."

When I told them they asked, "Who are you?"

I said, "I am Abu Hurayrah, the Sahabi of Rasulullah S, but even if a slave had to
give you safety from us in the pre-Islamic period we would not betray you, so (think
for yourselves) what our condition is now that Allah has guided us to Islam."

So they opened the gate and 100 of their priests and elders came out, going to Abu
'Ubaydah's & army. The Muslims went to them and took away their crosses. When
they reached Abu 'Ubaydah's 4&> tent, he welcomed them and after seating them said,
"Our Prophet Muhammad S has said, 'When the respected one of a nation comes to
you, you should honour him.' "

They began speaking about peace and said, "We want you to leave our churches and
not destroy them."

Amongst the churches of that time were the Cathedral of John the Baptist, which is
today the al-Jami' al-Umawi; the Church of Mary; the Church of Hanna; the Church
of the Night Market and the Church of Warning.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4e> said, "None will be destroyed" and wrote out the treaty of
surrender and guarantee of safety without signing it or having it witnessed because
he was not the commander-in-chief. They took it and said, "Come with us to the
city."

So he stood up and the following rode with him: Abu Hurayrah, Mu'ath bin Jabal,
Nu'aym bin 'Amr, 'Abdullah bin 'Amr ad-Dawsi, Thul Kala' al-Himyari, Hassan bin
Nu'man, Jarir bin Nawfal al-Himyari, Sayf bin Salamah, Ma'mar bin Khalifah,
Rabi'ah bin Malik, al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah, Abu Lubabah bin al-Munthir, 'Awf bin
Sa'idah, 'Amir bin Qays, 'Ubadah bin 'Atibah, Bishr bin 'Amir and 'Abdullah bin
Quit al-Asadi, totalling thirty-five senior Sahabah & as well as sixty-five ordinary
people. When they approached the gate, Abu 'Ubaydah 4» said, "I need hostages until
we enter with you," so they handed the hostages over.

It is said that Abu 'Ubaydah 4* had seen Rasulullah S in a dream. Rasulullah S
told him, "If Allah wills you will conquer the city tonight."

He said, "O Rasulullah, I see that you are in a hurry?"

132

Part 1: Damascus

Rasululldh S : I have to attend Abu Bakr's Salatul Janazah.

Then he awoke.

I (al-Waqidi) have been informed that when Abu 'Ubaydah 4& entered the city of
Damascus through the al-Jabiyah Gate with his companions, the monks and priests
walked ahead of them, raising the Bible and burning incense of aloe-wood,
ambergis, musk and frankincense. Khalid Mfr did not know because he was launching
an attack.

A Roman priest named Jonah, son of Murcius, lived a house attached to the city wall
joining the Eastern Gate where Khalid * was. Jonah possessed the Prophecies of
Daniel S5B wherein it was written, "Allah Most High will conquer the lands through
the Sahabah and their Din will triumph over every other religion."

That night he dug a hole from his house (to the outside of the city) and unknown to
his family, went to the Muslim camp. He told Khalid <&, "I have come out of my
house and dug a hole (under the city wall). I want a guarantee of safely for myself,
my family and children."

Khalid <&> agreed and sent with him 100 men, mostly Himyaris, and said, "When you
enter the city go to the gate, break the locks and remove the chains so that we can
enter if Allah wills." So they followed Jonah and entered his house via the hole where
they put on their armour and made preparations. Then they emerged and went to the
gate where they raised cries of "Allahu Akbar!" When the Christians heard, they
became alarmed. The Sahabah ,&> broke the locks and cut the chains. Khalid 4& and
the Muslims entered and began killing and capturing the Romans until they reached
the Church of Mary.

49) Surrender and Conquest

Khalid's 4t> army met Abu 'Ubaydah 's <& army at the church. Abu 'Ubaydah's 4& men
were walking, with the monks walking in front of them. When Abu 'Ubaydah 4& saw
Khalid's 4& amazement at them having their swords sheathed, he said, "O Abu
Sulayman, Allah has peacefully conquered the city through me. Allah suffices the
Muslims in battle. Peace has been made."

Khalid &> : What peace? May Allah never rectify their condition. How can they have
a peace agreement when I have conquered them by the sword and the Muslims'
swords drip with their blood and I have taken their children as slaves and seized their
wealth?

133

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : O commander, I entered through peaceful surrender.

Khdlid ^> : You were always so unaware. I entered with the sword through conquest
and they had no defence left.

Abu 'Ubaydah & '■ Fear Allah, O commander. By Allah! I have accepted their
surrender and implemented it. I have given them a written agreement.

Khdlid 4»> : You make peace with them without my instructions when I am your
commander-in-chief? I will not remove my sword from them until I have finished off
every last one of them.

Abu 'Ubaydah &: By Allah! I did not think that you would oppose me when I made
the agreement. I held an opinion and Allah is in control of my affairs. I have spared
all their lives and guaranteed them the safety of Allah and Rasulullah ft. All the
Muslims with me were satisfied with that and treachery does not become us.

The argument intensified with everyone looking on. Abu 'Ubaydah 4& saw that
Khalid 4s> was not shifting and that those Sahabah & who were with him were 'Arab
bedouins, adamant on killing the Romans and seizing their wealth. He called out,
"Alas, by Allah! I gave them protection and it has been violated." He pointed at the
bedouins, once to the left and once to the right and said, "O Muslims, I take oath on
behalf of Rasulullah S that you will not do what you are doing until Khalid <$> and I
come to an agreement."

The killing and looting stopped and the horsemen, flag-bearers and generals went to
meet at the church. Amongst them were Mu'ath bin Jabal, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan,
'Amr bin al-'As, Shurahbil bin Hasanah, Rabi'ah bin 'Amir, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar
bin al-Khattab and others <&- A party which included Mu'ath ^ and Yazid <& said,
"We feel that Abu 'Ubaydah 's treaty should be implemented and the killing halted.
All the cities have not yet been conquered and Heraclius is still in Antioch. If they
find out about the surrender and its betrayal, then not a single city will surrender,
whereas surrendering to you is better than killing them. (O Khalid), you keep what
you have taken by the sword while Abu 'Ubaydah administers for you his area. In the
meantime, the two of you can write to the Khalifah for arbitration and we will do
whatever he says."

Khdlid ^ : I accept and grant them all temporary safety except for Thomas and
Herbius.

(Thomas had appointed Herbius as sub-governor of half the city since he took
power.)

134

Part 1: Damascus

Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> : Those two were the first to enter into the pact, so do not break my
word, may Allah have mercy on you.

Khalid^ : Were it not for your word I would have killed them, but they will have to
leave the city. May Allah curse them wherever they may go.

Abu 'Ubaydah *> : Then on these terms is their surrender.

Thomas and Herbius observed the argument and feared their destruction so they went
with a translator to Abu 'Ubaydah *> and said, "What is that other one saying?"

Translator : What are you and your friend saying? Your friend intends treachery
whereas we and the citizens have entered into a pact with you and he breaks it, which
does not become you. So permit me and my companion to leave and go wherever we
want to go to.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : At the moment you are under my protection.

Translator : We remain your responsibility for three days, in whatever direction we
go in. After three days your responsibility is over. Then, whoever of you meet us after
three days and overcomes us can kill us or capture us as he desires.

Khdlid 4fe : We accept that, but you will not carry away with you anything except
your food.

Abu 'Ubaydah *fe : That condition will contravene the treaty because it allows them
to leave with all their men and wealth.

Khdlid 4k : Then I will allow it, except for weapons of which I will not let them take
anything.

Thomas : We need weapons for the journey to defend ourselves until we reach our
lands. Otherwise, we are now in your hands, decide what you will.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> : Let each man take one weapon only - sword or spear or knife or
bow.

Thomas : We are pleased with that. We do not want more than one weapon each. But
I fear that man, Khalid, so I want this agreement in writing.

Abu 'Ubaydah * : May your mother be bereft of you! It is not our 'Arab way to
betray or lie. Abu Sulayman's word is his word and his promise is his promise and
he only speaks the truth.

135

Futuhushdm

50) Thomas leaves Damascus

The two Roman leaders left to gather their people and order them to evacuate
Damascus. Heraclius had there a stock of about 300 bundles of brocade and golden
robes. Thomas wished it all to be salvaged. He ordered a silk tent to be erected
outside Damascus. The Romans came and took out the goods, wealth and bundles
until they had extracted a massive amount. When Khalid 4% saw this great quantity
he said, "How great is their luggage!"

' * ' ? ' {'■A' " ( " - - rf • "{*$*■* **\ ''fit

And were it not that mankind would have become one

community (of disbelievers) We would have made for the

Disbelievers in the Most Gracious, silver roofs for their houses

and ladders whereby they ascend. [43:33]

Then he looked at them, seeing that they were like fleeing donkeys, none sparing a
glance at his brother due to their intense haste. So he raised his hands skyward
saying, "O Allah, make this for us, make us its owners, make these goods sustenance
for the Muslims. O Allah, accept this du'a. Verily you are the Hearer of du'as."

Then he said to his men, "I have an idea, will you follow me in it?"

Muslims : We will follow you and not oppose you.

Khalid 4b '■ Prepare your horses and weapons, for after three days I will go with you
in pursuit of these people with the hope that Allah will grant us all this wealth you
see. My heart tells me that they have taken every last good robe and item out of
Damascus with them.

Muslims : Do as you please, we will not object.

They then began making preparations.

Thomas and Herbius gathered the amount Abu 'Ubaydah 4» had fined them with and
gave it to him. He said, "You have fulfilled your duty, now go wherever you want to
with three days' guarantee of safety from us."

136

Part 1: Damascus

Yazld bin Ztaartf narrates:

After they paid the fine, they left like a black thunder cloud. A large part of the
population of Damascus left with their children, disliking to stay with the Muslims.
Khalid * argued with those who remained behind over the large supply of wheat and
barley that remained, so Abu 'Ubaydah said, "It belongs to the Damascenes
according to the treaty."

His party and Khalid's * party became heated in their disagreement until they agreed
to write to Abu Bakr &> for his decision, not knowing that he had passed away on the
day they had entered Damascus.

'Atiyah bin 'Amir narrates:

I was standing at the gate of Damascus on the day that the Romans, including
Heraclius's daughter, departed with Thomas and Herbius. I saw Dirar <& looking at
them askance, regretful at what had not been taken from them. I said to him, "O Ibn
al-Azwar, why do I see you so regretful? Does Allah not have more than that?"

Dirar <& : I do not want the money, but I am regretful that they are all still living and
are escaping us. Abu 'Ubaydah made a bad deal for us.

I said, "O Ibn al-Azwar, the trustworthy one of the Ummah only desired good for the
Muslims by saving their blood and sparing their wives from the fatigue of war.
Indeed the sanctity of one human life is better than whatever the sun has risen upon.
Allah has placed mercy in the hearts of the Believers and has stated in some of His
revealed books, 'The Rabb does not have mercy on those who do not have mercy,'
and has also said:

JJ>- ?tl£aJlj

And reconciliation is best. [4:128]

Dirar <&■ : You have spoken the truth, but bear witness that I have no mercy for those
who ascribe a wife and son unto Allah.

137

Futuhushdm

51) Jonah and his wife

'Umar bin 'Isa narrates from 'Abdul Wahid bin 'Abdillah al-Basri who
narrates from Wathilah bin al-Asqa'*:

I was in the Damascus army of Khalid bin al-Walid <&. It was he who put me in
Dirar's & cavalry which had to patrol the city from the Eastern Gate to the Thomas
Gate to the Peace Gate to al-Jabiyah Gate to the Small Gate to the Songstresses' Gate.
One day, before the conquest of Damascus, we heard the screeching of the gate. A
horseman emerged whom we left until he came near. Then we seized him by the hand
and said, "Say a word and we will kill you." He was silent. Then another came out
calling for the first one whom we had captured, so we said to the prisoner, "Speak to
him until he comes here." So he said in his gibberish Greek, "The bird is in the net."

The other realised that he was captured and so returned and locked the gate. We
wanted to kill the prisoner but some said, "Do not kill him until we take him to
Commander Khalid."

So we took him to Khalid & who asked him, "Who are you?"

Jonah : I am from the Roman lands. I had married a girl of my nation before your
invasion. I love her very much, so when the siege lengthened, I asked her family to
send her to me, but they refused, saying, "We are too busy to send her to you."

I wanted to meet her, so we agreed to meet at a recreation ground in which we used
to spend time. We met there where she asked me to go with her outside the city. We
opened the gate and I went out to see the situation when your men captured me. She
called out to me so I said, "The bird is in the net," to warn her against you for I feared
for her. If it was someone else I would not have bothered.

Khalid 4» : What is your opinion of Islam?

Jonah : I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah and I bear witness that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Thereafter he fought with us and fought fiercely. When we entered the city
peacefully he went to seek his wife. It was said to him, "She has become a nun."

He went to her but she did not recognise him. He said, "Why have you become a
nun?"

138

Part 1: Damascus

Wife : I was in love with my husband. When he was captured by the 'Arabs, I became
a nun out of grief.

Yunus (Jonah) : I am your husband and I have entered the religion of the 'Arabs.

Wife : What do you want with me?

Yunus : That you stay (with me) under Muslim rule.

Wife : I swear by Christ that I will never do that. That is impossible.

She then left with Thomas.

Yunus went to complain to Khalid who replied, "Abu 'Ubaydah conquered the city
by treaty, so you have no authority over her."

When he found out that Khalid * was leaving in pursuit of them, he said, "I will go
with him, perhaps I will catch her."

Khalid <& remained until the fourth day when Yunus, the Damascene, went to him
and said, "O commander, did you not resolve to go in pursuit of Thomas and Herbius
and take whatever is with them?

Khalid 4»: Yes.

Yunus : Then what is stopping you?

Khalid 4& : They have gone for four days and nights and travel fast, fleeing us. We
will not be able to catch them.

Yunus : If distance is your excuse, then know that I know these lands best and I am
the speediest traveller. If Allah wills, we will catch them, but dress like the Christian
'Arabs of Lakhm and Jutham. Take provisions and go.

Khalid & took 4,000 cavalry and ordered them to go with light provisions. They
went with Khalid & and Yunus in front to act as guide, tracking down the
Damascenes. Khalid 4& had left Abu 'Ubaydah * in charge of Damascus and the
Muslims.

Zayd bin Zharif narrates:

Yunus was our guide who found their tracks. They had left whatever bundles had
fallen off the camels untouched. Whenever we entered a Roman town, they thought

139

Futuhushdm

that we were Christian 'Arabs of Lakhm and Jutham until the guide brought us close
to the coast. He continued following the tracks until he found that they had come to
Antioch but had not entered. Confused, he went to a nearby village to question the
people. They replied that Caesar had been informed that Thomas and Herbius had
surrendered Damascus to the 'Arabs and was therefore angry at them. He did not
allow them to come to him because he had gathered great armies to be sent to al-
Yarmuk and feared that if the two of them spoke to the soldiers their hearts would
weaken when hearing of the bravery of the 'Arabs. He therefore sent them to
Constantinople.

Yunus had separated from the Muslims to investigate.

Khalid 4b had finished leading the Muslims in Salah when Yunus returned and said,
"O commander! I have led you to a dead end."

Khalid * : How is that?

Yunus : You sent me in their tracks to this place hoping to catch them, but Caesar
prohibited them from entering Antioch so that they do not scare his army. He has
ordered them to head for Constantinople; there is this great mountain between you
and them. You are by a mountain deep in Heraclius's territory and he is gathering an
army to fight you. I fear that if you cross the mountain you will be destroyed, but the
choice is yours. I have done whatever you have ordered me to.

52) Khalid's & dream

Dirar * narrates:

I saw Khalid's 4fe colour change to green out of fear, a quality I did not associate with
him, so I said, "O commander, what frightens you?"

Khalid 4t> : O Dirar, by Allah! I do not fear death nor being killed. What I fear is that
the Muslims will suffer due to me for I have seen a frightening dream before the
conquest of Damascus and await its interpretation. I hope that Allah will grant us
goodness and victory over the enemy.

Dirar 4* : Goodness! Allah willing, I only see goodness! What did you see?

Khalid 4k : I saw us travelling in a barren land when we came across a herd of wild
donkeys, big-bodied but small-hoofed. Our spears could not wound them and they
were not concerned about our swords hitting them and hurting them, nor showed any

140

Part 1: Damascus

anxiety whatsoever. This carried on with great effort from our side and from our
horses. I then split up my men to attack them from all four sides so they shied away
from us and went to mountain passes, hills and fertile valleys. We only caught a few.
While we were roasting them, the others returned to fight us. I was looking at them
when the mountain passes and jungles called out to the Muslims, "Mount your
horses in pursuit of them. May Allah bless you."

The Muslims and myself mounted and chased them until I caught a great donkey and
killed him. The Muslims started hunting and killing until only a few were left. I was
overjoyed and wanted to return with the Muslims to their homeland when I fell off
my horse and my turban flew off my head. I wanted to pick it up but awoke afraid
and frightened. Can any of you interpret this? I think it is about our current state.

Everyone took this badly and Khalid 4» intended to return when 'Abdurahman bin
Abi Bakr * said, "The donkeys are the Romans we are chasing. Your falling from
your horse is your decline from a high position to a low position. As for the falling
of your turban, well turbans are the crowns of 'Arabs, so it is some lowering of
status you will encouter."

Khalid *> : If that is the interpretation then I ask Allah to make it a matter of the world
and not the Hereafter. I seek Allah's help and rely upon Him in every matter.

Khalid 4s>, with the guide ahead, crossed the mountain. We hoped to capture the
Romans the following morning and that night, it rained as if water was being poured
from waterskins. Through Allah's mercy, the rain stopped the Romans from further
travel.

Rawh bin Tarif narrates:

We were travelling with the rain falling on us the whole night like water being poured
from water-skins. At sunrise, Yunus said, "O commander! Halt here until I find them.
They are doubtlessly close to us for I have heard their shouting."

Khalid 4» : Have you truly heard them, O Yunus?

Yunus : Yes, permit me to go and gather information on them.

Khalid & turned to al-Mufrit bin Ja'dah and said, "Go with Yunus and beware of
them discovering the two of you."

Al-Mufrit : I hear and obey Allah and you.

141

Futuhushdm

The two left and climbed al-Abrash Mountain which the Romans call 'Cold
Mountain'.

Al-Mufrit narrates:

When we reached the top, we saw a great meadow filled with much large vegetation.
The Romans had been caught in the rain and their baggage was soaked. The sun was
still covered so they feared it being damaged. They took out the brocade, spread it
out in the meadow and then most of them slept due to the difficulty of the journey,
fatigue and rain. When I saw that, I was happy and returned to Khalid 4* leaving
behind Yunus. When he saw me alone he hurried towards me thinking Yunus had
been captured and said, "What is behind you? Tell me quickly?"

Al-Mufrit : Good (news) and booty, O commander! They are behind this mountain,
soaked with rain. They are resting in the sun and have spread out their goods.

Khalid 4b : May Allah bless you.

I perceived in his face great overwhelming joy and then suddenly Yunus appeared
and said, "Glad tidings, O commander! They are complacent, but please order your
men that whoever comes across my wife should guard her, for I want nothing from
the booty besides her."

Khalid 4b : She is yours if Allah wills.

Khalid 4b then divided his men into four divisions of 1,000 each, one under Dirar,
one under Rafi' bin 'Umayrah, one under 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr and one under
himself 4fc.

Khalid 4b : Go with the blessings of Allah, but avoid going together. Instead, each
group should go in intervals.

They spread out with Dirar 4b first attacking the complacent Romans followed by
Rafi' bin 'Umayrah then 'Abdurahman, then Khalid &.

'Ubayd bin Sa'id narrates :

By Allah! We were entranced by the beautiful sight when Khalid said, "Get the
enemies of Allah. Do not occupy yourselves with the booty and looking at the
meadow, for if Allah wills it will all be yours." When the Romans saw the Muslim
horsemen led by Khalid 4b coming, they rushed for their weapons, mounted their

142

Part 1: Damascus

horses and said to each other, "These are but a few horses which Christ has brought
to you as booty, so rash to them."

So they went forth thinking that Khalid 's & squadron was alone, when Dirar &
emerged with 1,000 horsemen, then Rati' bin 'Umayrah and then 'Abdurahman.
Each squadron spread out, surrounded the Romans and targeted a different group
shouting out, "There is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah!"

The horses descended upon them like a stream.

Herbius called out to their men, "Defend what you have been blessed with. They will
never leave this place."

So one group went with him while another group of 500 horsemen went against
Khalid & under the leadership of Thomas, carrying a golden cross encrusted with
jewels. Khalid <& attacked him shouting, "O enemy of Allah, did you think that you
could escape us when Allah folds up the earth for us?"

Aban's * widow had pierced one of Thomas's eyes, so Khalid 4fc stabbed his other
eye and gouged it out. He then flung him off his horse while his men attacked the
Romans. 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr &> was most amazing. No sooner had he seen
Thomas falling, than he jumped off his horse, sat on his chest, cut off his head, raised
it on his spear-point and called out, "By Allah! The accursed Thomas is killed," and
then went in search of Herbius, with the Muslims cheering.

53) Yunus and the princess

Rlfi' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

I was in the right-wing with Khalid 4i> when I saw a horseman in Roman attire
dismounting and struggling with a Roman nun who got the better of him. I went to
have a better look and saw that it was Yunus struggling like a lion with his wife. I
went to help him but then he pointed out a group of ten women aiming rocks at my
saddle. A most beautiful woman wearing brocade threw a large rock which struck my
horse's forehead. My horse, which had partaken in the Battle of Yamamah, now fell
down dead. I ran after her and she fled like a hunted deer with the other women
behind her. I caught up to them, intending to kill them. I shouted, targeting the one
who killed my horse. She screamed for help when I raised my sword. I stopped and
went towards her. She was wearing brocade and had on her head a net of pearls. I

143

Futuhushdm

took her prisoner and tied her up. I retraced my steps, mounted a Roman horse and
said to myself, "By Allah! I must go and see what has happened to Yunus." I found
him crying and sitting with his wife who was covered in her own blood. I said to her,
"Become a Muslim." She replied, "By Christ, I will never join you people." Then she
took out a knife and committed suicide. I said, "Allah has given you a
replacement better than her. She wears brocade, has a net of pearls on her head and
is more beautiful than the moon. So take her in place of your wife." He said, "Where
is she?" I replied, "Here, this woman who is with me."

When he saw her, her dress and her ornaments and realised how extremely beautiful
she was, he began speaking to her in Greek and asked her her identity. She replied
in Greek and wept. He then turned to me and exclaimed, "Do you know who this is?"

I replied, "No."

He said, "She is Heraclius's daughter, Thomas's wife. Someone like me is not suited
for her. Heraclius will definitely look for her and pay her ransom."

It is narrated that the Muslims could not find Khalid •& or any trace of him and were
greatly worried about him. He was in fact deep in battle aiming for Herbius after
Thomas was killed. While attacking in all directions, he spotted a heavily-built, red-
coloured Christian whom he thought must be the accursed one, so he headed towards
him on his horse with great effort to kill him. When the Christian saw him coming
he fled, but Khalid 4s> hit him with his spear and he fell down on the ground on his
head. Khalid pounced on him like a lion saying, "O Herbius, did you think that you
could escape me? Destruction be upon you."

The Christian knew 'Arabic and replied, "O 'Arab, I am not Herbius so spare me and
do not kill me."

Khalid^ : Your only way out is to lead me to him. When you have done that, I will
release you.

Christian : You are sure that you will let me go if I show him to you?

Khalid 4$> : I am sure. You will be released.

Christian : O 'Arab brother, get off my chest so that I can show him to you.

When Khalid * got off he sprang up, looked right and left and said, "Look towards
the mountain. One of those horses climbing is mounted by him." Khalid 4& handed
him over to Ibn Jabir and then gave his horse free rein in pursuit of the enemy.

144

Part 1: Damascus

He caught up to them and shouted, "Did you think that you could escape me?"

When Herbius heard him, he shouted out and turned back with the armed patricians.
Khalid 4k said, "Destruction be upon you! Do you think that Allah would not give us
power over you? I am the valiant horseman, Khalid bin al-Walid."

Then he stabbed and finished off one horseman followed by a second. Herbius called
out to his men, "He is the one who turned Syria upside down, he is the invader of
Busra, Hawran, Damascus and Ajnadayn. Get him." They entertained hopes of
catching him since he was alone, separated from the rest of the Muslims who were
fighting and pillaging the Romans, each one concerned with his own matters. Due to
the rough terrain of the mountain, the patricians dismounted and surrounded Khalid
& on foot. He too dismounted and stood firm and patient with sword and shield in
hand to fight them.

54) Herbius is killed

Shaddad bin Aws <&, who was present at the Meadow of Brocade, narrates:

Khalid * said to himself, "The dream has turned out to be true."

Then while he was busy fighting them, Herbius came from behind and struck him
with his sword cutting right through his turban and helmet. Herbius 's sword then fell
from his hand. Khalid 4& feared that if he turned to Herbius the others would attack
him from behind, but if he fought them, then Herbius would escape. So he began
shouting, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" and recited salutations upon Rasulullah
$ with great joy so as to deceive the Christians into thinking that he was about to
receive help. The Muslims heard a sound and came from behind the Romans
shouting, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" One voice stood out saying, "La ilaha
illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah! Help has come to you from the Rabb of all the
worlds. I am 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr as-Siddiq."

Khalid 4t> paid no attention to them, but began tearing the enemy ranks apart with his
attacks in all directions. Upon hearing the Muslims, Herbius wanted to flee, but
Khalid 4fe caught him and struck him dead in a single blow and Allah sped his soul
to Hell. The Companions of Rasulullah iH then descended upon the companions of
Herbius and finished off every last one of them. Dirar 4& killed most of them. When
Khalid's 4& anxiety left him and he saw what Dirar *$> had achieved, he exclaimed,
"May you be blessed in your every action. May you triumph in your every deed. May
my Rabb keep you in a good state."

145

Futuhushdm

Then he went to make salam to 'Abdurahman 4& and all the Muslims and asked,
"How did you locate me?"

'Abdurahman 4h : O saved one, Allah granted us victory over the Romans so we were
busy in collecting the booty when suddenly a voice from the wind said, "You are
busy with booty while the Romans surround Khalid!"

However, we still did not know where you were and searched for you. A Christian
held captive by your men pointed your position out to us and said, "I showed him
where Herbius is. He is now with him at that mountain," and so we came to you.

Khalid '& : He had shown us Herbius and had shown me to the Muslims, so now his
rights against us have been confirmed.

He then returned with them to the Muslims who, when they saw him, rushed to him
to make salam. He returned their salam and called for the Christian who had shown
him Herbius and said to him, "You fulfilled your duty and now we have to fulfil our
promise. At the same time, you gave us advice so now we will give you advice - if
you join the Din of Salah and Fasting and the Ummah of Muhammad S you will
become of the people of Paradise."

He replied, "I have no desire to change my religion," so Khalid 4& let him go.

Nawfal bin 'Amr narrates:

I saw him mounting his horse and heading on his own to Roman territories. The
booty and prisoners were all gathered as Khalid 4k had ordered. When he witnessed
their great quantity, he praised Allah abundantly and thanked Him. Then calling his
guide, Prince Yunus, said to him, "What did you do to your wife?"

Yunus narrated the whole incident which astonished Khalid <&.

Rdfi' : O commander, I captured Heraclius's daughter and gave her to him as a
substitute for his wife.

Khalid 4*> : Where is she?

When she was brought before him, Khalid 4^ saw her great beauty. He turned away
from her and said, "You are pure from all blemishes. O Allah, all praise belongs to
You alone. You create and choose what You want to."

146

Part 1: Damascus

jl&3 f\l& L. jEr j£fcj
And your Rabb creates what He wants to and chooses. [28:68]

"Do you (Yunus) wish to take her in place of your wife?"

Yunus : Yes, except that Heraclius will doubtlessly want to ransom her or free her
violently.

Khalid ^ : Take her for now. If he does not look for her, then she is yours and if he
does then Allah will give you better than her in return.

Yunus : O commander, you are in a tight and difficult situation, so leave now before
enemy forces arrive.

Khalid & : Allah is for us and with us.

He then pressed forth in returning with the booty ahead of him. The Muslims were
behind him, joyous at the booty obtained, their safety enjoyed and victory granted.

55) Khalid 's £> gift to Heraclius

Rawh bin 'Atiyah narrates:

We traversed the whole road without a single Roman appearing against us, although
we were right in the centre of enemy territory. Upon reaching the Small Meadow near
Umm Hakim Canal, we saw dust rising from behind us, which made us
apprehensive. Someone went to go and inform Khalid who said, "Who will go and
investigate it for me?" A man from the Ghifar tribe, Sa'sa'ah bin Yazid said, "I, O
commander."

He got off his horse and ran ahead on foot because he was faster than a horse. He
reached the dust-cloud, investigated it and returned calling out, "O commander, the
Christians have caught us. They are completely covered in iron with nothing visible
of their bodies except for their eyes."

When the (Roman) cavalry neared, Khalid & called Yunus the guide and instructed
him, "O Yunus, go to the cavalry and see what they want."

147

Futuhushdm

Yitnus : I hear and obey.

He went and returned to report, "O commander, did I not tell you that Heraclius
would not neglect to go in search of his daughter? He has sent this cavalry to retrieve
the booty from the Muslims, but now that you are close to Damascus, they are
sending a messenger to ask you to either sell the girl or to gift her back. Khalid began
discussing the matter with the Muslims until an old man wearing the garb of a
travelling priest came to the Muslims, who brought him before Khalid $&>.

Khalid & : Say what you have got to say.

Priest : I am the messenger of Heraclius Caesar. He says to you, "I have been
informed of what you have done to my men and of your killing of Thomas, my son-
in-law, and violating my sanctity. You have attained victory and safety, so do not
over-step the bounds with my daughter who is with you. So now either sell my
daughter or gift her back to me, for indeed generosity is in your nation's character
and nature. Remember that he who does not show mercy is not shown mercy. I also
hope to reach a peace settlement with you.

Khalid 4b : Tell your master that I shall not leave him and the Christians until I have
his throne and the very ground under his feet. (O Heraclius), you know this. If you
knew a way to come against us you would not have hesitated. As for your daughter
take her as a present from us.

Khalid ^ then handed her over to the old man without taking anything as ransom.
When the messenger informed Heraclius, he said to the Roman leaders, "This is what
I was telling you about, but you did not want to accept it and wanted to kill me. Soon
things will get even more serious, but this is not from you but from the Lord of
Heaven."

The Romans wept bitterly at this.

56) The martyr

Khalid 4b reached Damascus where Abu 'Ubaydah &> and the Muslims had lost hope
over him and were greatly depressed. When Khalid 4b arrived they came out to
welcome him and the Muslims began greeting each other. Khalid 4b found 'Amr bin
Ma'dikarab 4b, Malik bin al-Ashtar 4*> and their men in Damascus. He went to Abu
'Ubaydah 4b who, upon being told of the expedition, was highly impressed by his
exploits. He then took out the state's one-fifth share of the booty and distributed the

148

Part 1: Damascus

remainder amongst the Muslims. Giving Yunus something from his own share, he
said, "Take this and use it to get married or buy a Roman slave-girl."

Yunus : By Allah! I will never marry a woman of this world. I will only marry 'Ayna
the virgin damsel of Paradise.

Rafi' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

He fought with us until al-Yarmuk. There I saw him fighting earnestly in the Path of
Allah, greatly inflicting the Romans until an arrow pierced his throat and he fell
down dead, may Allah have mercy on him. Then I saw him in a dream, wearing
glittering clothing and golden sandals wandering in a lush garden. I said to him,
"How has Allah treated you?" He replied, "He has forgiven me and given me
seventy women of Paradise. Were one of them to appear in the world, the light of her
face would eclipse both the sun and moon. May Allah reward you all well."

I related this to Khalid 4fe who said, "By Allah! That is nothing but martyrdom. How
fortunate is he who attains it."

57) Khalid's<* letter

I (al-Waqid!) have been informed that when Khalid 4&> returned from his expedition
with the booty, he desired to write to Abu Bakr <& of the victory and booty, thinking
that he was still alive. Abu 'Ubaydah *fe had not informed him (of his demise) and
that 'Umar 4fe was the new Khalifah. So he called for an ink-pot and paper and wrote:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

To : 'Abdullah, the Khalifah ofRasululldh

From : His governor of Syria, Khalid bin al-Walid

Saldm 'Alayka

I praise Allah besides whom there is no other deity and I send
salutations upon His Prophet Muhammad.

We continued suffering from the enemy in attacking Damascus
until Allah sent down upon us His help and conquered His

149

Futuhushdm

enemy. Damascus was conquered with the sword from the
Eastern Gate but the Romans deceived Abu 'Ubaydah -& who
was at the al-Jdbiyah Gate and reached a peace agreement with
him which has prevented me from enslaving or killing them. We
met him at the Church of Mary, with priests and monks in front
of him, holding the treaty. Caesar's son-in-law, Thomas, and
another man called Herbius left the city with enormous wealth
and fat bundles (of brocade). I followed them with an army and
snatched the booty from their hands and killed the two accursed
ones. I made Heraclius s daughter prisoner and then gifted her
back to him, returning safely. I am awaiting your orders.

Was-saldm 'alayka.

Salutations and saldm be on our master, Muhammad, his family
and Sahdbah.

He folded the letter, sealed and stamped it and sent it with 'Abdullah bin Qurt 4& to
al-Madinah, where the new Khalifah, 'Umar bin al-Khattab 4& read the opening and
said, "Do the Muslims not know that Abu Bakr has died?"

lbn Qurt ^ : No, O commander of the Believers.

'Umar *fe : I had sent a letter to Abu 'Ubaydah with this news and also dismissing
Khalid •$> and appointing him over the Muslims, knowing him undesirous of that
post.

He then continued reading the letter.

150

(Part 2

Minis

Part 2: Hims

Contents

1. The new Khalifah

2. The assassin

3. Abu 'Ubaydah's <& appointment

4. 'Umar's <&> letter

5. Abu al-Quds expedition

6. Ibn Ja'far and the monk

7. The obstruction

8. The Muslims are trapped

9. Ibn Unays fetches help

10. Help arrives

1 1 . Dirar 's <&> exploits

12. The booty

13. Drinking wine

14. March against Hims and Antioch

15. The Story of Jabalah bin al-Ayham

16. Khalid's * raid

17. Conquest by kindness

18. Luke's plan

19. The truce

20. The statue

21. 'Umar's 4» letter

22. Slaves and firewood

23. Dialogue with Jabalah

153

Futuhushdm

24. Khalid 4& goes against Luke

25. Luke captured

26. Khalid 4& and Jabalah

27. 'Abdurahman 4& fights Jabalah

28. Muslims face destruction

29. The blessed hair of Rasulullah S

30. The caravan of Ba'labakk

31. Battle of Ba'labakk

32. The Romans reject surrender

33. The Romans attack

34. Second Roman attack

35. Romans trapped in the ruins

36. The Muslims are trapped

37. The Romans seek a way out

38. The Roman envoy

39. The Romans come out

40. Abu 'Ubaydah 4»> and the governor

41. The treaty

42. The Romans pay war indemnity

43. The price of greed

44. Abu ' Ubaydah 's & ultimatum

45. Attack on Hims

46. The second day

47. 'Ata's scheme

48. Provisions and unexpected results

154

Part 2: Hims

49. Conquest with crates

50. Conquest of ar-Rastan

5 1 . Rebellion in Shayzar

52. The great Christian coalition

53. Return to Hims

54. Hims resists

55. Battle of Hims

56. Martyrdom of 'Ikramah 4&

57. Khalid's 4k plan

58. The governor is killed

59. Hims surrenders

155

Part 2

Hims

1) The new Khalifah

The historians (who have narrated from such narrators mentioned at the
outset) have narrated the events of the Conquests of Syria (with all chains of
narrations from reliable narrators) viz Muhammad bin Ishaq, Yusuf bin 'Amr,
and Abu 'Abdillah Muhammad bin 'Umar al-Waqidi who have all narrated
from a chain of reliable narrators:

Upon the demise of Abu Bakr <$>, 'Umar <& became the Khalifah at the age of 52. The
people pledged an oath of allegiance to him in the Masjid of Rasulullah ® with no
one, neither old nor young, disagreeing. During his rule disunity and hypocrisy were
uprooted, falsehood was terminated, truth established, the power of the state
strengthened, the plots of the Devil weakened and Allah's affair became victorious
even though the Disbelievers disliked it.

Amongst his noble characteristics was that he would sit with the poor, be kind to
people and Muslims in particular, be merciful towards the young, respect the elderly,
show compassion to the orphan, grant justice to the wronged until all rights were
fulfilled and those who merely criticised would never concern him.

During his rule he would patrol the markets of al-Madinah, dressed in rags and
carrying his whip which was more feared than the swords of kings.

His food was barley bread and his gravy was crushed salt. Sometimes he would leave
the salt out of abstinence, caution and compassion towards the Muslims, desiring
nothing but Allah's reward. Nothing could prevent him from fulfilling his duty
towards Allah or the Sunnah of Rasulullah S.

157

Futuhushdm

'Aishah narrates:

By Allah! As soon as 'Umar 4& became the Khalifah he set to work with great effort
and without any arrogance. His teeth would bite into nothing besides barley bread
and salt and he would often have olive oil and dried dates too. Sometimes he would
have butter and say, "I hate olive oil and barley bread, but hunger today is lighter than
the fire of Hell. Whoever falls therein never dies nor does he find any relief. Its stay
is long, its punishment severe, its drink is pus and no permission is given to them to
offer excuses."

During his rule he systematised the military, despatched armies, conquered many
lands and built cities. May Allah be pleased with him.

2) The assassin

I (al-Waqidi) have been informed that when Heraclius heard of 'Umar •$. succeeding
Abu Bakr •&, he summoned all the patricians, princes of the realm and ministers. He
then stood to address them, standing on a pulpit erected for him in a church, "O
Romans, this is what I warned you about, but you would not listen. With the
ascension of this brown man, the situation will only worsen. The time has drawn near
for a conqueror to come who will resemble Noah. I swear by God that he will most
certainly rule what is beneath this platform on which I stand. Beware! Beware before
this occurs and great harm befalls, palaces are demolished, priests are massacred and
church bells smashed. This is a man of war who will bring grief to Rome and Persia.
He abstains from the world and is stern against those who do not follow his religion
but follow what they like. I have hope that you will triumph if you order the good
and forbid the bad, leave injustice, follow Christ in all that is compulsory to obey,
abstain from adultery and fornication and, in fact, all kinds of sinning. If you refuse
and stick to corruption, sinning, wickedness and worldly passions, God will give
your enemy power over you and inflict you with that over which you have no power.
I know that the religion of these people will triumph over every other religion for as
long as they do not change, so either you go to their religion or submit and pay
Jizyah."

As soon as they heard these words they rushed towards him, intending to kill him but
he managed to pacify them and said, "I merely wished to see how loyal you are to
your religion and if fear of the 'Arabs is firmly embedded in your hearts or not."

Then he called a Christian 'Arab, Tali'ah bin Maran, and promised him great wealth
saying, "Go immediately to Yathrib and see if you can kill 'Umar bin al-Khattab."

158

Part 2: Hints

Tali' ah : Yes, Caesar.

He made his preparations and upon reaching al-Madinah, hid in the outskirts to
ambush 'Umar 4b. 'Umar 4b came to oversee the wealth of the orphans and inspect
their gardens. The Christian climbed up a tree with twisting branches and hid
amongst the leaves. 'Umar 4b went to that very tree and fell asleep, lying on his back
and using a stone as a pillow. The Christian was about to climb down to kill him,
when suddenly a creature appeared from the desert, circled 'Umar & and licked his
feet. An unseen voice proclaimed, "O 'Umar, you have maintained justice, so you are
safe." When 'Umar 4<= awoke, the beast left and the Christian climbed down. He
threw himself at 'Umar 4b, kissed his hands and said, "May my father and mother be
ransom for such a creation whom the beasts guard, the angels describe and the Jinn
know."

Then he told him the whole story and embraced Islam at his hands.

3) Abu 'Ubaydah's &> appointment

'Umar 4b then wrote the following letter to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b:

I have appointed you over Syria and made you commander of the Muslims.
Khdlid is dismissed. Was-saldm.

He despatched the letter with 'Abdullah bin Quit 4b- He remained anxious over the
affairs of the Muslims, paying special attention to Syria.

'Abdullah bin Salim narrates from his reliable teachers:

'Abdurahman bin Awf az-Zuhri narrated the following dream to 'Umar 4b which he
saw on the same night that Abu Bakr 4b passed away: I saw Damascus with the
Muslims around her. Their cries of "Allahu Akbar" reached my ears. With their
shouts and attacks, a fort began to sink into the earth until I could not see anything
of it remaining. I saw Khalid 4b entering her with the force of the sword as if there
was something like a fire in front of him into which he fell and then it was
extinguished.

'Ali 4b : Glad tidings! If Allah wills, it means that they conquered Damascus today.

A few days later 'Uqbah bin 'Amir al-Juhani 4b, the Sahabi of Rasulullah H, brought
the letter describing the victory. He narrates:

159

Futuhushdm

'Umar * : O Ibn 'Amir, when did you leave?

'Uqbah & : Friday.

'Umar 4& : What news have you brought?

'Uqbah & : Glad tidings which I will announce to Abu Bakr 4»-

'Umar & : Allah has taken him in a good state. He has gone to His generous Rabb.
'Umar now bears the burden. If he is just he will be saved, if he abandons justice or
confuses matters then he will be destroyed.

I wept and invoked Allah's mercy upon Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased
with him. I handed the letter over to 'Umar who read it, but did not announce its
contents until Salatul Jumu'ah. After the Khutbah and Salah, he ascended the
mimbar. The people gathered around him, and he read out the letter. The Muslims
were overjoyed and called out, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!"

He then descended and wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah 4& appointing him as commander and
dismissing Khalid <&. He then handed me the letter, ordering me to return. I returned
to Damascus to find that Khalid had gone in pursuit of Thomas and Herbius. I
delivered the letter to Abu 'Ubaydah &, who did not announce Abu Bakr's 4&> death
and kept quiet about his appointment and Khalid's * dismissal. Khalid 4» then
returned from his expedition and wrote a letter describing the conquest of Damascus,
their victory against the enemy, the booty of Brocade Meadow and the release of
Heraclius's daughter.

He then handed the letter to 'Abdullah bin Quit <& who delivered it to 'Umar 4fc.
When he read the opening, "From Khalid bin al-Walid to Abu Bakr as-Siddiq," he
disliked it and said, "O Ibn Quit, do the people not know of Abu Bakr's death and
my appointment of Abu 'Ubaydah?"

Ibn Qurt *&> : No.

'Umar <&> got angry, gathered the people, stood on the mimbar and said, "O people,
I had appointed Abu 'Ubaydah, the Trustworthy Man, because I felt him worthy and
have dismissed Khalid."

A Makhzumi : Do you dismiss such a man through whom Allah has unsheathed a
cutting sword and granted victory? Neither Allah, nor the Muslims will excuse you
if you sheathe this sword and dismiss a commander who is ordered by Allah. You
would be breaking family ties.

160

Part 2: Hints

'Umar <& looked at him and found him to be quite young and so he said, "A youth,
angry for the sake of his cousin," and got off the mimbar. He laid down and put the
letter under his head, pondering over Khalid's <&> dismissal until the next day.

After performing Salatul Fajr, he mounted the mimbar, praised Allah, sent salutations
upon Rasulullah ®, invoked mercy upon Abu Bakr «fe and said, "O people, I am
burdened with great trust. I am a shepherd and every shepherd is accountable with regard
to his flock. I have come to rectify your affairs and oversee your lives and that which will
draw you and the people of your city closer to your Rabb. This is because I have heard
Rasulullah S saying, 'He who is patient over the difficulties and evils of al-Madinah
will have me interceding for him on the Day of Judgement. 'You have no agriculture
or dairy to speak of except that which a camel brings from a distance of a month's
journey. Allah has promised us much booty and I intend that it reaches both the elite
and the commoners. I will fulfil the trust and honour of the Muslims. I have no
objection to Khalid being governor, except that he is too lavish in spending - he gives
the poet who praises him and gives the Mujahid and horseman more than he is
entitled to. Thus nothing remains for the poor and weak Muslims. I am therefore
replacing him with Abu 'Ubaydah. Allah knows best that I appoint him due to his
trustworthiness, so none should say, 'You have dismissed the strong man and
installed the soft man,' for Allah is with him and assists him."

4) 'Umar's 4fe> letter

He got off the mimbar and wrote the following letter to Abu 'Ubaydah ^ona piece of
leather:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : The slave of Allah, 'Umar bin al-Khattab, the Commander of
the Believers.

To : Abu 'Ubaydah 'Amir bin al-Jarrdh

Salam 'Alayka

I praise Allah besides whom there is no other deity and send
salutations upon His Prophet Muhammad.

161

Futuhushdm

I have appointed you over the affairs of the Muslims, so do not
be shy, for Allah is not shy when it comes to the Truth. I advise
you to fear Allah Who will remain and besides Whom everything
will perish. It is He who took you out of Disbelief into Faith and
from Misguidance to Guidance. I have appointed you over the
army which is with Khdlid. So take charge of his army and
dismiss him from his post.

Do not send the Muslims into destruction desiring booty. Do not
send a small expedition against a huge force. Do not say, "I
hope victory for you, " for victory is only with firm conviction
and sticking to Allah (not mere hope).

Beware of being deceived into throwing the Muslims towards
destruction. Lower your gaze from the world and keep your
heart occupied from it. Beware of being destroyed like those
before you. You have seen their destruction and way of thought.
Between you and the Hereafter is a covering through which your
predecessors have passed. You are now like someone waiting for
his journey from such an abode whose vigour has passed, whose
beauty has faded and so its people have prepared their transports
to go to another abode. Its provision is Fear of Allah and to
consider the Muslims as far as you are able to.

As for the wheat and barley which you found in Damascus and
greatly argued about, it is for the Muslims. One-fifth of the gold and
silver will be taken for the state and the rest is for the Mujdhidin. As
for your dispute with Khdlid about whether the conquest was by
peaceful surrender or by conquest of the sword, well you are now
the governor in charge. Your treaty is to be implemented with the
Romans. Gifting Heraclius's daughter was wrong for a great
ransom could have been obtained and spent on the weak Muslims.

162

Part 2: Hims

Peace, Allah's Mercy and Blessings be upon you and all the
Muslims.

He folded the letter and stamped the seal with his ring. He then summoned 'Amir bin Abi
Waqqas, brother of Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas 4k, and said to him, "Go to Damascus and give
this letter to Khalid. Order him to assemble everyone and then you, O 'Amir, should read
it out to them. Also, inform him about Abu Bakr's •£> death."

Then he called Shaddad bin Aws 4k, shook his hands and said, "Go with 'Amir to Syria.
After he reads the letter, order the people to render to you the oath of allegiance to
represent the oath unto me."

The two hastened to Damascus where the people awaited news of Abu Bakr <& and his
orders. When the two arrived, everyone was happy at their arrival and eager to hear them.
The two went to Khalid's 4k tent, where 'Amir said to him, "I have left 'Umar in a good
state. I have this letter here which he has ordered me to read in front of everyone."

Khalid 4k was doubtful and disliked it, but gathered the Muslims. When 'Amir
announced Abu Bakr's 4k death, they raised a great noise with their crying. Khalid 4k also
wept and said, "If Abu Bakr is dead and has appointed 'Umar as his successor, then we
will hear him and obey his orders."

'Amir then read out the letter to the end, after which they rendered the oath of allegiance
to Shaddad 4k.

This was in Damascus, 3 Sha'ban 13 Hijri.

5) Abu al-Quds expedition

I (al-Waqidi) have been informed that Khalid 4k became even sterner against the
enemy and firmer in Jihad after his dismissal, especially at Abu al-Quds Fort. I asked
the narrator of this report about Abu al-Quds Fort. He said, "Between 'Irqa and
Tripoli is a meadow called the Chain Meadow facing a complex of monasteries. In
one cell there lived a monk who was knowledgeable in Christianity and had read the
previous scriptures and histories of the past nations. The Romans came to him for
knowledge. He was over 100 years old and annually a festival would be held at his
monastery marking the end of the Roman fast. During this festival, Palm Sunday, the
Christians would come to him from all places including coastal lands and Egypt. He
would then look down at them from a high place and advise them from the Bible.

163

Futuhushdm

During that festival a great annual market would also be held. Goods, gold and silver
would be brought to it, so that for three days buying and selling took place."

The Muslims were not aware of all this until a Christian, from those who pay Jizyah,
told them of this. He had received protection for himself and his family. When Abu
'Ubaydah <$> took charge of the affairs of the Muslims, the Christian intended to go
to him so that the monastery and market could be captured at his hands. He reached
Abu 'Ubaydah 4& while he had long been pondering over which Roman place to
target next. Sometimes he would say, "I will take the army to Baytul Muqaddas for
she is the noblest of all their cities and the seat of the Roman Empire upon which
their religion is based." At other times, he would say, "I will go to Antioch to target
Heraclius and be rid of him." He had already gathered the Muslims and was still in
this state of confusion when the Syrian Christian came to him.

Christian : O Commander, you have been most kind to me, have granted me safety
and spared my wife, family and wealth. I will now tell you of such booty which, if
God grants it to the Muslims, they will be wealthy and never suffer from poverty
thereafter.

Abu 'Ubaydah <$> : Tell us of this booty and its location, for I know you to be a well-
wisher.

Christian : Facing you is a fort on the coast known as Abu al-Quds Fort. Opposite it
is a monastery where a monk lives. The Christians seek blessings through his prayers
and learn from him. He celebrates an annual festival in which people gather from
every direction, town, city, village and monastery. There a great market is held in
which they display their lavish clothing of brocade and their gold and silver for three or
seven days. The time for that market is soon approaching, so seize all that is therein, kill
the men and enslave the women and children. This is such a booty which will gladden the
Muslims and it will humiliate your enemy through its loss.

Abii 'Ubaydah <$> (happy at this prospect) : How far away is this monastery?

Christian : Ten Farsakh (54.9 km) on a strenuous route.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b '■ When will the market be held?

Christian : In a few days time.

Abii 'Ubaydah 4* '■ What kind of security do they have to keep them in control?

164

Part 2: Hints

Christian : We do not know of such a thing in Caesar's realm because fear of
Heraclius sits in their hearts, so they do not interfere with each other.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4i> : Are there any cities near it?

Christian : Yes, Tripoli, the economic hub of Syria, is nearby. Caravans come to
Tripoli from all directions. A great experienced patrician, whom Caesar chose for his
experience, stays there and attends the market. Although I do not know of any
security at the market, there may be some now out of fear of you. Even if he goes
and confronts the Muslims, I am sure that, God willing, they will be victorious.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4® called out, "O people, who amongst you gifts his life to Allah,
Most High, and will lead the army I am sending to conquer for the Muslims?"

Everyone kept silent so he asked a second time, hinting at Khalid 4& but not saying
it directly as he was embarrassed at his dismissal. A youth with thick hair hanging
from the sides with a thick moustache stood up from amongst the people. He was
'Abdullah bin Ja'far .&>, the son of Asma bint 'Umays al-Khath'amiyah and Ja'far 4»
who had been martyred at Mutah when Abdullah ^ was quite young. When he grew
up he asked his mother, who had married Abu Bakr 4s>, "O my mother, what has
become of my father?" Asma replied, "O my son, the Romans killed him."

He would say, "If I live, I will avenge him." Upon Abu Bakr's demise and 'Umar's
■& ascension, he went to Syria with the expedition sent by 'Umar 4» under 'Abdullah
bin Unays al-Juhani 4fe. Ibn Ja'far 4» greatly resembled Rasulullah S in both
character and physique and was counted amongst the generous ones.

6) Ibn Ja'far & and the monk

When Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> called out, "O people, who will go to the monastery?", Ibn
Ja'far & sprang up and said, "I will be the first to join this expedition, O Trusted One
of the Ummah." Abu 'Ubaydah was pleased and began selecting for him men from
amongst the Muslims and horsemen from amongst those who hold Allah to be One
and said, "You will be the commander of this expedition, O cousin of Rasulullah Si."

He tied a black flag for him and handed it over to him. His expedition consisted of
500 cavalry which included veterans of Badr. Amongst those who took part
included Abu Tharr al-Ghifari, 'Abdullah bin Abi Awfa, 'Amir bin Rabi'ah,
'Abdullah bin Unays, 'Abdullah bin Tha'labah, 'Uqbah bin 'Abdillah as-Sulami,
Wathilah bin al-Asqa', Sahl bin Sa'ad, 'Abdullah bin Bishr, as-Saib bin Yazid and
other such great men; may Allah be pleased with them all.

165

Futuhushdm

All 500 had witnessed many battles and had penetrated into the thick of war. They
would never flee or even incline towards fleeing and were dependable in travel.
When they had gathered under Ibn Ja'far's & flag, Abu 'Ubaydah & said, "O cousin
of Rasulullah II, do not attack until the first day of the market is held." Then he bade
them farewell and they departed.

(I hope this to be a sign of acceptance from Allah that the following events of 15
Sha 'ban 14 Hijri were translated without prior planning on 15 Sha 'ban 1423 Hijri -
translator 's note)

They left Damascus for Abu al-Quds Monastery on the 15th night of Sha'ban with
the moon bright.

Wathilah bin al-Asqa'4fe narrates:

I was at the side of 'Abdullah bin Ja'far * who said to me, "O Ibn al-'Asqa', how
nice and bright the moon is tonight."

Wathilah 4z> '■ O cousin of Rasulullah 0, this is the great and blessed night of mid-
Sha'ban. During this night, provisions and lifespans are decreed and sins are
forgiven. I had intended spending the night in Salah, but our journeying in the Path
of Allah is better than that. Allah is a generous giver.

Ibn Ja'far & : You have spoken the truth.

We continued travelling through the night until we came across the monastery of a
monk wearing a black hooded cloak. He began to closely examine our faces, one by
one. He stared for a long time at 'Abdullah and then said, "Is this the son of your
Prophet?"

Muslims : No.

Monk : The light of prophethood shines between his eyes. How did he get it?

Muslims : He is his cousin.

Monk : Then he is part of the leaf and the leaf is part of the tree.

Ibn Ja'far •& : O monk, do you know Rasulullah?

Monk : How can I not know him when his name and description is in the Torah,
Gospel and Psalms? He is handsome with a reddish complexion and a drawn sword.

166

Part 2: Hims

Ibn Ja'far & : So why do you not believe in him and accept him?

Monk (raising his hand to the sky) : I will believe when the Master of these skies
wants me to.

We were shocked at his words and continued on our journey with the guide leading
us. When we came to a valley filled with trees and water, he ordered us to camp there
and said to Ibn Ja'far &, "I am going out to scout."

Ibn Ja'far <&, : Hurry and bring news back to us.

He hastened away while Ibn Ja'far &> personally kept watch until morning.

7) The obstruction

In the morning we prayed Salatul Fajr and sat waiting for the guide who did not
return. His delay made us anxious and we feared some deception from him. The
Devil began his whisperings which made all of us think of him as evil except for Abu
Tharr <$>, who said, "Think good of your companion and do not fear any plot or
deception from him for you know how he is."

We all kept quiet after that until he suddenly arrived. When we saw him we were
overjoyed, thinking that he would tell us to get up to go to the enemy. He came and
stood in the midst of the Muslims where he said, "0 Companions of Muhammad, I
swear by Christ, son of Mary, that I do not lie to you in what I am telling you. I
sincerely wished the booty for you but there is an obstruction blocking your path to
it."

Ibn Ja'far &> : What is this obstruction?

Guide : It might as well be the sea that blocks you. I saw that the market had already
started with buying and selling taking place. The Christians had gathered with most of
ftem going to the monastery of Abu al-Quds where the priests, monks, princes and
patricians gathered. When I saw all that, I did not want to return until I found out the
reason why there were so many more people this year than any other year. I went and
mixed with the crowd until I found out that the governor of Tripoli was marrying his
daughter to a Roman prince. They brought her to receive Communion from the monk. She
was surrounded by a large number of Christian 'Arab cavalry out of fear of you, as they
know you Muslims to be in Syria. O Muslims, I do not consider it appropriate for you to go
ahead because their numbers are absolutely huge.

167

Futuhushdm

Ibn Ja'far 4» : How many civilians and soldiers are there?

Guide : There are more than 20,000 civilians in the market including Romans and
Armenians. There are Christians, Copts and Jews from Egypt, Syria and Africa. There are
patricians and Christian 'Arabs. The soldiers number 5,000 against whom you have no
power. They can easily call up a similar number of reinforcements from their lands which
are adjoining, whereas the 'Arabs are far from you.

This news depressed Ibn Ja'far 4» and the Muslims who wished to return. Ibn
Ja'far 4» said, "O Muslims, what is your opinion?"

Muslims : We believe that we should not fling ourselves into destruction as
instructed by our Rabb in His book. We should take the matter up with the
commander, Abu 'Ubaydah 4&. Allah will not let our reward go to waste.

Ibn Ja'far 4* : As for me, I fear that Allah will write my name down amongst the
deserters. I will not return and I will not offer weak excuses to Allah, Most High.
Allah is responsible for the reward of whoever helps me, but there is no blame on
whoever wishes to return.

Muslims (ashamed) : Do as you like, for precautions will not avail against what is
predestined.

Ibn Ja'far 4* was delighted with this reply. He donned his armour, helmet, belt and
his father's sword and mounted his horse. He took the flag in his hand and ordered
the men to take their gear. They got the armour and weapons and mounted their
horses, saying to the guide, "Take us to the enemy so that they may see amazing
things from the Sahabah of Rasulullah $1."

Wathilah bin al-Asqa'4fc narrates:

I saw the guide's face turn yellow and his whole complexion change. He said, "You
people can go and do that. I have no obligation in your matter." He started leaving,
but Ibn Ja'far 4*> won him over and he led them for a while. He then paused and said,
"Wait here for you are now near to them. Hide here until dawn and then attack them."

We spent the night in the place he ordered us to, seeking Allah's assistance against
the enemy. At dawn Ibn Ja'far 4« led us in Salatul Fajr and then said, "When do you
people feel we should attack?"

'Amir bin 'Umayrah bin Rabi'ah : I will show you a plan upon which you should act.

168

Part 2: Hims

Muslims : Do tell us.

'Amir : Attack them when they are fully occupied with their buying, selling and
displaying of goods.

The Muslims all approved of this. They unsheathed their swords, tied their bow-
strings and made general preparations with Ibn Ja'far 4» in front, carrying the flag.
At sunrise he divided the Muslims into five squadrons of 100 each and said to each
squadron-commander, "Each hundred should attack a different sector of the market.
Do not become engrossed in loot and plunder, but place your swords in their heads
and shoulders."

He then went forward and saw the Romans spread out, numerous as ants. A great
crowd surrounded the monk's monastery. The monk had come out and was
admonishing the people, advising them and teaching them about their religion while
they attentively listened to him. The daughter of the patrician of Tripoli was in the
monastery. All the patricians and their sons wore brocade covered with gold. Their
upper bodies were covered with armour, glittering arm-guards and helmets. They
were looking around, guarding their front and rear.

8) The Muslims are trapped

When Ibn Ja'far &> saw the monastery, the monk and all that was surrounding them,
he became afraid but called out, "O Sahabah of Rasulullah S, attack! May Allah
bless you. If booty, happiness, victory and safety are for us then it is at that gathering
by the monastery. If it is not to be, then we are promised Paradise and will meet each
other at the pond of Rasulullah S with his Sahabah 4fe."

He targeted the crowd, striking them with his sword and stabbing them with his
spear, with the Muslims attacking behind him. When the Romans heard the Muslims
calling out, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!", they thought that the armies of the
Muslims had reached them. They were in fact expecting that and were alert against
any attack, so the mob rushed towards their weapons to protect their lives and
property. They unsheathed their swords and turned to attack the Muslims like savage
lions. They searched for the flag, and finding only one, they surrounded those
Muslims around the flag from every side fighting fiercely and began throwing up
dust. The Muslims were so few that they were like a white spot on a black camel's
skin. The Sahabah of Rasulullah S could only find each other through the cries of
T-a ilaha illallah" and "Allahu Akbar!", but everyone was too busy with himself to
come to another's rescue.

169

Futuhusham

Abu Sabrah Ibrahim bin 'Abdil Aziz bin Abi Qays -*>, who was from the very
first Muslims and had performed Hijrah twice, reports:

I witnessed Ethiopia with Ja'far bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, and
joined Rasulullah H at Badr, Uhud and Hunayn. I said to myself that I would partake
in any similar event. When the soul of Rasulullah 31 was taken away, I grieved over
him and was unable to remain in al-Madinah. I went to Makkah where I was
reprimanded in a dream for abandoning Jihad. So I went to Syria where I partook in
the Battles of Ajnadayn, Damascus, Khalid's ^ pursuit of Thomas and Herbius and
Ibn Ja'far's expedition. I was with him at the Monastery of Abu al-Quds when I
experienced such an occurrence which I had not experienced with Rasulullah S. It
was when we were attacking the Romans with such paltry numbers while they were
so many that nothing could hide them from sight. We saw their fearsome bodies
covered in armour which hid their entire bodies except for the eyes. They attacked
like a great crashing storm until none of the Muslims were visible to me, everyone
being trapped in their midst. I could not hear the Muslims except for some
occasionally raised voices. I said to myself, "They have been destroyed."

Then I saw 'Abdullah bin Ja'far <& raising the flag aloft, attacking the Disbelievers
and not being repulsed. He was waging Jihad at such a young age with the battle
prolonging, its flames intensified and darkened. He was right in the centre of the
enemy who had him surrounded. Wherever he tried to attack, they would respond in
the same direction. We continued fighting until our arms grew weak and our
shoulders numb. Matters became very bad. We lost patience and Ibn Ja'far's sword
became blunt in his hands. His horse was about to collapse under him when he
decided to take refuge with his men at a single place. His men gathered around him,
and when other Muslims saw the flag they began heading towards it, everyone was
wounded at the hands of the enemy. Ibn Ja'far's armour began pressing him but he
was more distressed at the condition of the Muslims than at his own condition. He
sought Allah's protection, handed himself over to Allah, raised his hands to the sky
and said:

"O He who created His creation and tested some of them with others and made that
a tribulation for them, I ask You through the rank of Prophet Muhammad upon whom
be salutations and peace that You grant us ease and a way out in our affair. "

Then he returned to the fight with the Sahabah of Rasulullah & fighting with him
under his flag. Praise be to Allah at how amazing Abu Tharr & was. He came to the
aid of Rasulullah's % cousin and fought in front of him.

170

Part 2: Hims

'Amr bin Sa'idah narrates:

I saw him with an elderly man striking the Romans with his sword and advancing
into their ranks. This man was saying as he attacked, "I am Abu Tharr !"

9) Ibn Unays 4b fetches help

'Abdullah bin Unays al-Juhani 4t> narrates:

I loved Ja'far <& and from amongst his sons I loved 'Abdullah 4b. Then when 'Abdullah's
step-father, Abu Bakr & passed away, I saw that his mother, Asma bint 'Umays was
greatly grieved and that sight pained me. Abu Bakr also loved 'Abdullah intensely.
Abdullah bin Ja'far got permission from 'Umar bin al-Khattab to go to Syria and said to
me, "O Ibn Unays al-Juhani, I am going as a mujahid with twenty horsemen to Syria. Will
you accompany me?"

I said, "Yes."

He bade farewell to his uncle, 'All, and 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, and
set off for Syria with the twenty horsemen until we reached Tabuk where he asked, "O
Ibn Unays, do you know where my father's grave is?"

I said, "Yes."

He said, "I wish to see it."

We continued until we reached the place, so I showed him where his father had fought
and I showed him the grave which had a stone placed on it. When he saw it, he
dismounted and we dismounted with him. He wept and invoked mercy upon his father.
We remained there until the morning of the second day.

When we departed, I saw him weeping with his face resembling saffron. When I
questioned him, he said, "I saw my father in a dream last night. He was wearing two
green cloths and a crown. He had two wings and had in his hand a drawn green sword
which he gave to me saying, 'O my son, fight your enemies with this, for whatever
you see that I have attained has been by means of Jihad.' It was then as if I fought
with it until it became blunt."

We continued until we reached Abu 'Ubaydah's <$> army at Damascus.

When I saw the Romans trapping him, I said, '"Abdullah is close to perishing."

171

Futuhushdm

I left like lightning and returned to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b who asked me, "Do you have
good news, O Ibn Unays, or bad?"

I said, "Send the Muslims to help 'Abdullah bin Ja'far and those with him," and
proceeded to give him a full report.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : Verily we belong to Allah and to Him do we return. Are 'Abdullah
bin Ja'far and those with him to be afflicted under your flag, O Abu 'Ubaydah, when
this is his very first mission?

Abu 'Ubaydah -$> then turned to Khalid 4b and said, "O Abu Sulayman, I ask you in
the name of Allah to go to 'Abdullah bin Ja'far for you are suitable for that."

Khalid 4b : If Allah wills then I am. I was only waiting for you to order me.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : O Abu Sulayman, I was shy to order you.

Khalid 4b : By Allah! Were a small child to order me I would obey. That being the
case, how can I oppose you when your Faith is older than mine and you preceded me
in Islam along with those who preceded. You hastened to bring Faith along with those
who hastened. How can it be possible for me to reach you or to attain your lofty
status with all that to your credit and with Rasulullah 4b naming you as, 'The
Trustworthy One?' I make you my witness that I have given my life to the Path of
Allah and will never oppose you, nor will I ever accept a command post again.

The Muslims loved these words and so Abu 'Ubaydah 4k said, "Join your brothers,
Abu Sulayman. May Allah have mercy upon you."

Khalid 4e sprang up like a lion and went to his equipment.

His put on the armour of Musaylamah al-Khaththab, which he had taken from him at
the Battle of Yamamah, and put on a helmet followed by a cap.

He then tied his sword-belt and practically flowed into his saddle like the flowing of
a stream and called out to the advance forces, "Come forth and wield your swords."

They hastily responded and came like flying eagles in obedience to the Most
Merciful Allah. Khalid 4b took the flag and began waving it with his troops rotating
around him.

The Muslims began making salam to each other and then the troop departed with
Abdullah bin Unays 4b as a guide.

172

Part 2: Hims

10) Help arrives

Rafi' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

I was that day amongst the troops of Khalid bin al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with
him. We pressed hard in our journey until Allah folded up for us the lengthy distance.
Close to sunset, we saw the Romans like spread-out locusts drowning the Muslims
with their great numbers. Khalid called out, "O Ibn Unays, where will I find the
cousin of Rasulullah H?"

Ibn Unays * replied, "He took a pledge with his men to either meet at the monk's
monastery or in Paradise."

Khalid 4£> looked towards the monastery and saw the Islamic flag which was in the
hands of Ibn Ja'far *&>. Every single Muslim was wounded and had given up on the
temporary life and was looking forward to the Eternal Life. The Romans were
clashing with them inflicting many sword-strikes and spear-stabs upon the Muslims.
Ibn Ja'far 4& was calling out, "Get the Disbelievers! Be patient in fighting the astray
ones. Know that the Most Merciful of those who show mercy has already shown
(victory) to you."

How often a small group overcame a mighty force by Allah 's
leave? And Allah is with the patient ones. [2:249]

Khalid * saw their patience and firmness in fighting their enemy and could not stop
himself from launching an assault. Waving his flag he called out to his men, "Get this
ugly nation and water your swords with their blood. O people, receive glad tidings
of salvation. Come to success."

While Ibn Ja'far 4k and his companions found themselves in their terrible
predicament, the horses of the Muslims appeared. They came like birds upon which
there were men or rather like clawing eagles and savage lions covered in iron. The
lions roared and the eagles shrieked. When the entrapped Muslims saw the horses
coming, they thought that they were Romans who were hiding and had now come out

173

Futuhushdm

against them. They were certain that their destruction was coming and became
frightened. They took matters hard and lost patience.

The Disbelievers inflicted destruction and fell upon the Muslims like a burning war.
Swords glittered, heads rolled and the ground was covered with corpses. The
Muslims were completely in the grip of the enemy and the sword was doing its work
upon the men when a voice was heard calling out, "The safe one is abandoned and
the fearing one is helped. O bearers of the Quran, help has reached you from the Most
Merciful. We help you against the worshippers of the cross."

Ibn Ja'far's 4s> men had their hearts in their throats at that time. Suddenly a horseman
came at the front of the advancing cavalry as if he was a raging lion with a shaft of
moonlight in his hand. He shouted out loud, "Glad tidings of firm help, O bearers of
the Quran! I am KMlid bin al-Walid."

When the Muslims saw the flag and heard Khalid's & voice, it was as if they were
being pulled out of the deep sea after drowning. They responded with voices filled
with thunder and storm, "La ilaha illallah" and "Allahu Akbar!"

Khalid & then attacked with his troops who never separated from him and began
slashing the Romans with his sword.

'Amir bin Suraqah narrates:

Nothing resembled his attack except the attack of a lion against sheep.

Each Christian tried to defend himself while Khalid 4» tried to reach 'Abdullah bin
Ja'far &. The Muslims did not know who were on the advancing horses until they
heard the voice of Khalid * calling out, "O people, get the enemy. Help has come to
you from the Rabb of Heaven." Then he attacked with the Muslims.

11) Dirar's £> exploits

Wathilah bin ai-Asqa'4> narrates:

We had lost hope of living and were sure that we would be destroyed until Allah's
aid reached us. So we attacked with our brothers. Before darkness set in, we saw
Khalid with the flag in his hand shoving the Christians aside just like a shepherd
moves his sheep. The Muslims were killing and capturing the Romans, but praise be
to Allah - how amazing Abu Tharr al-Ghifari 4fr and Dirar Ibn al-Azwar & were!

174

Part 2: Hints

They advanced slowly forward as if they were on some parade, waving their swords
and killing Romans in every direction. Dirar 4b met up with Ibn Ja'far 4b. He saw
that his armour's sleeve was covered with blood like a camel's liver and said,
"Thanks be to Allah for saving you, O cousin of Rasulullah @>. By Allah! You have
avenged your father and have quenched your thirst for revenge."

Ibn Ja'far 4b : Who is speaking to me?

He did not recognise Dirar due to the intense dark of the night and also because Dirar
had his entire face covered except for the eyes.

Dirar 4* : I am Dirar bin al-Azwar, a Sahabi of Rasulullah ®.

Ibn Ja'far 4& : O brother, your help is most welcome.

'Abdullah bin Unays <$> reports:

While Ibn Ja'far 4fr and Dirar <$> were talking, Khalid 4b came with his army and said,
"Allah be thanked for you and may He grant you an excellent reward."

Ibn Ja'far 4b turned to Dirar 4b and said, "O Dirar, there is a Roman force and
patricians at the monastery protecting the daughter of the governor of Tripoli. She
has great wealth with her, but a Roman cavalry guards her. Will you join me in an
attack?"

Dirar 4* : Where are they?

Ibn Ja'far 4b : Do you not see them?

He motioned with his eyes at a Roman force. The soldiers and the patrician from
Tripoli surrounded the monastery to protect the girl. They had lit fires in which the
light of the crosses glittered as if they were fires themselves. They resembled a wall
made of iron.

Dirar 4b : May Allah keep guiding you towards good. What a good guide you are. I
will certainly join your attack.

He took his men with them, who shouted at the Romans and attacked from different
directions. The guards defended themselves, the most fierce being the patrician. He
went in front of the people and yelled like a camel and a lion, shouting his words of
disbelief, attacking most daringly. Dirar 4b aimed at him and the two opponents
clashed. Dirar 4b examined him and found him to be heavy-built and sitting firmly in

175

Futuhushdm

his saddle. He struck very hard and guarded himself well. Both became more
cautious of the other, but each one desperate to get at the other.

Dirar 4» ended up alone with the patrician with no Muslim nearby. He went further
out to ensnare the enemy and so the patrician and his men came after him to attack
him. He was searching for a place where his horse could manoeuvre when suddenly
someone came at him from the darkness of the night. His horse stumbled and he fell
to the ground. He sprang up to grab the horse but could not find a way to do that, so
he stood facing the enemy with his sword and shield in hand. He started fighting the
enemy and persevered like noble ones persevere so that nobody could censure him
with regard to his duty to Allah. The patrician wanted to hit him with a pole. When
he struck out, Dirar 4» avoided it and then sprang at him like a lion and struck such
a blow at the horse that unsettled it. He then stood and clenched his fist to hit it a
second time right in its eye.

The horse fell to the ground and the Christian fell down on his back and could not
get up because he was stuck in the saddle. So Dirar <& went to deal with him before
his men arrived and struck him on his shoulder tendon, but the sword bounced off
without effect. The Christian resisted, so Dirar <&> seized him and found him to be like
a great mountain. He pressed his chest and sat on his throat. He had a knife which
was made in Yaman which he always kept with him. He took it out of the scabbard
and began cutting the enemy of Allah from his chest to his navel until he fell down
dead and Allah sped his soul to Hell. Dirar 4» then got up and sat on the horse of
Allah's enemy. It had on it much gold, silver and gems worth a large amount. He
attacked, shouting, "Allahu Akbar!" and scattered them left and right.

12) The booty

In the meantime Ibn Ja'far *fe captured the monastery and all those within it. The
Muslims surrounded the monastery, but did not seize anything awaiting KMIid's <&
return from pursuing the enemy. He pursued them until they reached a great river
which separated them from Tripoli. The Romans knew its crossings and crossed over
leaving Khalid * stranded. He returned to the Sahabah & of Rasulullah S and found
that they had occupied the monastery and killed the patrician. They were spread out
gathering the booty and all the goods, carpets, fabric, clothing, food etc. which they
found in the market.

176

Part 2: Hims

Wathilah bin al-Asqa'£> reports:

We gathered the booty and ate the good food and took out of the monastery the gold
and silver vessels, curtains, seats, wealth and the daughter of the patrician who had
with her forty slave-girls all wearing costly dresses and jewellery. We loaded these
on Turkish horses, mules and donkeys and returned with great wealth and booty.

It is narrated that the success of this expedition was attributed to three men:
'Abdullah bin Ja'far *, the commander; 'Abdullah bin Unays <&, who brought the
reinforcements and Khalid bin al-Walid 4&, who saved the day. Khalid 4t> had
undergone great difficulties and had sustained painful wounds.

As they were leaving, Khalid & went to the monastery and called out to the monk,
"O monk." He received no reply and so called out a second time and threatened him,
so he came to him.

Monk : What do you want? I take oath in the name of Christ that the Master of
Heaven will retaliate against you for the blood of those whom you have slain.

Khalid <& : How can He retaliate against us when He Himself has commanded us to
fight you and wage Jihad against you and has in fact promised us reward for doing
so? By Allah! Had Rasulullah H not forbidden us, I would not leave you in your
monastery, but would kill you in a most evil manner.

The monk kept quiet and did not reply.

Khalid * and the Muslims returned with the booty to Damascus. There Abu
'Ubaydah & thanked them and made salam to Ibn Ja'far •$> and Khalid <&. He
returned to his quarters where he took the state's one-fifth share out of the booty and
divided the rest amongst the Muslims. To Dirar 4? he gave the patrician's horse with
the saddle and whatever else was on it such as gold and silver jewellery, jewels and
gems. Dirar 4> took it to his sister, the lady Khawlah, who took the gems out and
distributed them amongst the Muslim women, with a single gem being worth quite a
sum.

The captives, including the patrician's daughter, were brought in front of Abu
'Ubaydah <&.

Ibn Ja 'far <$> : I want her.

Abu 'Ubaydah & : I will have to ask 'Umar for permission.

177

Futuhushdm

He wrote to 'Umar .& who wrote back, "She is for him." Ibn Ja'far 4fe took his new
slave-girl. She remained with him for a long time and was an expert cook who
specialised in Persian and Roman cuisine. She remained with him until the reign of
Yazid who, upon hearing of her, requested to receive her as a gift. Ibn Ja'far 4» gave
her to him where she remained.

'Amir bin Rabi'ah narrates:

I received from the booty of the monastery's market, brocade with Roman pictures
thereon. Every cloth had a beautiful picture of Isa and Maryam SSB. I took the
brocade to Yaman where I sold some for a great price. 'Umar 4fc wrote to me while I
was with Abu 'Ubaydah «&, "O my nephew, send many of these brocades to me so
that they can be spent (on the poor)."

13) Drinking wine

It is narrated that when the Muslims returned with the booty, Abu 'Ubaydah # wrote
to 'Umar <& to inform him of the victory and booty of Abu al-Quds. He praised,
commended and thanked Khalid & and reported what he had said (when he left for
the expedition). He also requested the Khalifah to write to Khalid 4fe to obtain his
opinion on attacking either Heraclius or Baytul Muqaddas and informed him that
some Muslims had taken to drinking wine.

'Asim bin Thu-vab al-'Amiri wbo had participated in the conquest of Damascus
narrates:

Some of the Yamani bedouins had taken to drinking wine and considered it to be
good. The commander, Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe opposed this. One of the bedouins, I think
it was Suraqah bin 'Amir, said, "O Muslims, abandon wine, for it destroys the
senses and earns sins. Rasulullah S has not only cursed the drinker of wine, but even
the transporter and the one to whom it is carried."

Usamah bin Zayd al-Laythi narrates fom az-Zuhri who narrates from Humayd
bin 'Abdirahman bin 'Awf al-Ghifari:

I was with Abu 'Ubaydah in Syria. He wrote to 'Umar <& to inform him of the
conquest of Syria and also wrote, "The Muslims are drinking wine and trifle with the
prescribed punishment."

178

Part 2: Hims

I arrived in al-Madinah and found 'Umar & sitting in the Masjid of Rasulullah %
with some Sahabah & who were speaking amongst themselves. Amongst them were
'Uthman, 'Ali and 'Abdurahman bin 'Awf. I handed the letter over to 'Umar <&. He
read it, started thinking for a while and then said, "Verily Rasulullah S lashed the
drinker of wine."

Then he asked 'Ali <$>, "What is your opinion on that?"

'Ali <& said, "When the drinker becomes drunk, he becomes delirious and when he
becomes delirious he makes things up."

('Ali 4b meant that although the exact punishment for drinking wine had not been
specified by Rasulullah &, its punishment should at least equal that of slander, i.e.
eighty lashes especially since the drunkard is apt to slander - translator 's note.)

So 'Umar ^ wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah &, "Whoever drinks wine should be lashed
eighty times. I swear that severity and poverty will be good for them. Their duty is
to fear Allah, to worship Him, to believe in Him and be grateful unto Him. Inflict the
prescribed punishment on whoever has returned to drinking."

When 'Umar's 4t> letter arrived, Abu 'Ubaydah & had it announced, "Whoever is
liable for punishment for drinking wine should present themselves for lashing and
repent unto Allah."

Many came forward and were lashed.

14) March against Hims and Antioch

Abu 'Ubaydah & said, "I have resolved to go to Antioch and strike at the heart of the
Roman Empire. Perhaps Allah will grant us victory." The Muslims said, "Go
wherever you please, for we will follow you and fight your enemies." He rejoiced at
their words and said, "Prepare to travel. I am taking you to Aleppo and after
conquering it, we will go to Antioch."

The Muslims hastened in their preparations. Abu 'Ubaydah 4& finished all his tasks
and ordered Khalid & to the front of the army. He was to lead the vanguard bearing
the Flag of the Eagle which Abu Bakr .$> had tied. Khalid &> went with the vanguard
and took Dirar &>, Rafi' bin 'Umayrah and Musayyib bin Najiyah al-Fazari with him.
They were followed by others. 500 men under Safwan bin 'Amir as-Sulami were left
at Damascus while Abu 'Ubaydah & left with the Muslims, including the Yamanis
and tribes of Mudar.

179

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah <& took the road to al-Baqa' and al-Labuwah. Upon reaching there, he
despatched Khalid •& to Hims, saying, "O Abu Sulayman, go with the blessings and
help of Allah. Descend upon the people and attack al-'Awasim and Qinsarin while I
go to Ba'labakk. Perhaps Allah will make matters easy for us and we will be
victorious." He then bade him farewell.

Khalid «$> went with his men to Hims, while Abu 'Ubaydah 4» headed towards
Ba'labakk. The patrician of Jusiyah arrived with many gifts and proposed a one-year
truce with the Muslims and said, "If you conquer Ba'labakk then I present myself to
you and will not oppose a single word of yours."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4*> agreed to his terms demanding 4,000 dirham and 500 robes of
brocade.

15) The story of Jabalah bin al-Ayham

After concluding the treaty, Abu 'Ubaydah 4» headed for Ba'labakk and had not
covered much distance from al-Labuwah when a noble horseman appeared. Abu
'Ubaydah 4& recognised him to be Usamah bin Zayd at-Tai and so he called out, "O
Usamah, from where do you come?"

Usamah : From al-Madinah.

He then handed over a letter from 'Umar &. Abu 'Ubaydah 4$> opened it. It read as
follows :

La ildha illalldh Muhammad Rasululldh.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : The slave of Allah, 'Umar, the Commander of the
Believers.

To : The Trustworthy One of the Ummah

Saldm 'Alayka

I praise Allah besides whom there is no other deity and convey
salutations upon his Prophet Muhammad.

180

Part 2: Hims

There is no averting predestination and what Allah has decreed.
He who has been written down as a disbeliever on the Preserved
Tablet (in Heaven) will not get Faith. In this light Jabalah bin
al-Ayham al-Ghassdni came to us with his cousins and chiefs of
his people. We extended our hospitality to them and were good
to them. They embraced Islam at my hands and I was pleased
that Allah would strengthen Islam and the Muslims with them,
but I did not have knowledge of the future. We went to Makkah

- may Allah Most High protect her and preserve her greatness

- to perform the Hajj. Jabalah was circling the Ka 'bah when
a man ofFazdrah tramped on his cloth which fell off him. He
turned to the Fazdri and said, "Be destroyed! You have exposed
me in Allah s Sacred Masjid. " The Fazdri said, "By Allah! It
was not deliberate. " Jabalah bin al-Ayham struck him so hard
that his nose and all four incisors broke.

The Fazdri came to me for assistance against Jabalah, so I
summoned him and said to him, "What made you strike your
Muslim brother, breaking his nose and four incisors? " Jabalah
said, "He tramped on my cloth which became loose. By Allah!
Were it not for the sacredness of the Ka 'bah I would have killed
him. " I said, "You have confessed against yourself. So either he
forgives you or retaliates against you. " Jabalah retorted, "He
will take retaliation from me when I am a king and he is a
worthless commoner? " I replied, "You are both equal in Islam.
You have no superiority over him except if you are more pious. "
Jabalah requested to be given a chance until the next day, so I
asked the Fazdri, "Will you leave him until tomorrow? "

He agreed, but during the night Jabalah and his cousins
mounted their horses and fled to the dog of the sinners in Syria
(Heraclius). I hope that Allah will bring him into your hands.

181

Futuhushdm

Invade Hints and go no further. If they offer to surrender, then
accept, otherwise fight them. Send a spy to Antioch and be on
your guard against the Christian 'Arabs.

Peace, Allah 's mercy and blessings be upon you and all the
Muslims.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4° read the letter once softly and then again publicly and then turned
to Hims. Khalid * preceded him with a third of the army and reached Hims on a
Friday of Shawwal 14 Hijri.

16) Khalid's 4> raid

Heraclius's governor, Lacita had died just before the arrival of Khalid & and the
Muslims. The Christians therefore gathered in their great cathedral where their elder
said, "Caesar's governor has died and he does not know about the arrival of these
'Arabs. They have now invaded us as we thought they would, but we expected them
to only invade us after conquering Jusiyah and Ba'labakk. Even if you write to
Caesar to send us a new governor with an army, the 'Arabs will never let any army
come to you let alone actually arrive here. Also, you do not have enough food to
survive a siege."

Christians : What should we do, sir?

Elder : Seek terms with them and agree to whatever they demand and say to them,
"We will surrender to you if you conquer Qinsarin and Aleppo and defeat Caesar's
army." Then when they turn away from us we will request Caesar to send us a huge
army and governor of his choice and supply us with food and equipment. Thereafter
we can fight them.

They approved of this plan and said, "Your opinion and plan is excellent. We will act
upon that."

The patrician sent a highly respected priest to Abu 'Ubaydah 4& to conclude a truce
with him. The priest spoke to him as instructed by the patrician, that is, that the
Muslims should depart for Aleppo, al-'Awasim and Antioch. Abu 'Ubaydah 4»
agreed upon receiving a payment of 10,000 Dinar and 200 robes of brocade and
concluded a one-year cease-fire commencing from Thul-Oa'dah until the next
Shawwal 15 Hijri. After the treaty was concluded, the traders came out to buy and
sell with the Muslims. They found the 'Arabs to be generous and earned much profit.

182

Part 2: Hims

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& called Khalid <&. Giving him a squadron of 4,000 cavalry of
Lakhm, Jutham, Tayy, NabMn, Kahlan, Kindah and Khawlan, he said, "O Abu
Sulayman! Take this squadron on raiding expeditions and seek out their leaders,
especially those of Aleppo. Attack the lands of al-'Awasim and then return. Send
your spy forward to see if they have anyone special in charge of the defence or not."

Khalid 4& took the flag and recited the following poem in front of his squadron :

/ swear by the Great King that I have taken this banner

And that by carrying it I am the leader.

Because I am the chief of Makhzum 's sons,

And also am amongst Noble Ahmad 's companions.

In setting out it is like a reckless lion that I behave

O Allah! It is fighting the Romans that I do crave.

Khalid 4» continued until he came to Shayzar and halted at the river-bend. He called
Musab bin Muharib al-Yashkuri, gave him 500 horsemen and ordered him to raid al-
'Awasim and Qinsarin. Khalid &> went forth to Kafr Tab, al-Marah and Dayr Sam' an.
They raided the countryside and villages in all directions seizing booty and captives
which they brought to Khalid & who returned with them to Abu 'Ubaydah 4i. He
was very pleased to see all that he had brought.

17) Conquest by kindness

A mass of people began arriving afterwards, reciting, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu
Akbari" and salutations upon Rasulullah %.

Abu 'Ubaydah <& : Who are they, O Abu Sulayman?

Khalid 4b : This is Musab bin Muharib al-Yashkuri. I had given him command over
500 horsemen of his tribe and the Yamanis. They raided al-'Awasim and Qinsarin and
have now brought booty, captives and wealth.

183

Futuhusham

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& turned to them and saw the great herd of cattle and flock of sheep
and Turkish horses mounted by men, women and children. They were noisy with
their wailing. Abu 'Ubaydah went to them and saw that the men were tied up and
weeping over their families, looted wealth, and destroyed homes. He said to the
translator, "Say to them - why do you weep? Why do you not embrace Islam. Why
did you not seek agreements of safety for your lives and wealth?"

The translator said this to them and they (numbering about 400) replied, "O
commander, we were very far from you. Although your news reached us, we did not
think that you would reach us. We had no further knowledge until your men came
and looted our wealth and children and dragged us away in these ropes as you can
see."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4» : We will be kind to you and free you. We will return your wealth
and families. Will you then accept our rule and pay Jizyah and land-tax?

Captives : If you do this, we will obey whatever conditions you impose.

He turned to the Muslims and said, "I feel that they should be granted safety and that
their wealth and families be returned unto them. They will remain inhabiting their
towns and lands as our subjects and pay us Jizyah and land-tax. What is your
opinion, for I do not decide any matter without consulting you."

Muslims : Your opinion is good for the Muslims, O commander.

A fine of four dinars was imposed on each captive and 'Umar & was informed about
it. Their wealth and children were returned to them and they were left to stay in their
lands. A document was compiled, listing their names and he ordered them to return
to their lands. When they returned they informed their neighbours of the good nature
of the 'Arabs and of the good treatment they had received from them and said, "We
thought that they would kill us and enslave our children, but they had mercy upon us
and let us stay in our homes upon payment of Jizyah and land-tax." In that manner
other Romans came to Abu 'Ubaydah <$> seeking safety from the Muslims upon
payment of the Jizyah and land-tax.

18) Luke's plan

The people of Qinsarin heard that Abu 'Ubaydah 4» granted an agreement of safety
to whoever sought it from him. They all agreed to request his safety and to quietly
send an envoy without their governor knowing about it.

184

Part 2: Hims

Luke, the governor of Qinsarin and al-'Awasim, was amongst the fierce warrior
patricians. The people of Qinsarin were terrified of him. He was equal to the ruler of
Aleppo in strength and armies. Heraclius had summoned both, but they replied, "O
Caesar, we cannot abandon our lands without a violent fight." Heraclius
appreciated this and promised to send them a massive army upon which they were
now waiting. Each already had a cavalry of 10,000 men, except that the two
cavalries were not gathered at a single place.

When Luke discovered the people's intention of surrendering, he became intensely
furious. He devised a scheme against them and summoned them.

Luke : O Romans, what should I do with these 'Arabs who are almost upon you?
They are heading towards us, conquering our region just as they have already
conquered most of Syria.

Romans : O Sir, we have heard that they are extremely trustworthy and fulfil their
agreements. Most of the land has surrendered to them due to their justice. Whoever
fought against them was defeated and their wives and children enslaved. However,
whoever surrendered was allowed to stay safe in their lands, safe from their power.
We wish to surrender to save our lives and wealth.

Luke : You have rendered the correct and blameless opinion, for these 'Arabs are
victorious against whomsoever fights against them, but in the meantime I will seek
a one-year cease-fire with them and then when they are complacent, we will get
reinforcements from Caesar Heraclius and wipe them out to the last man.

Romans : Do what is for the best.

They agreed to the truce he proposed, but in everyone's heart there was deception.
Luke then summoned the priest, Stacher, who was a scholar of both Christianity and
Judaism. He was fluent, strong-hearted and knew both Arabic and Greek. Luke said
to him, "O Father, go to the 'Arabs and ask them for a one-year truce so we can
deceive the people."

He then wrote a letter to Abu 'Ubaydah <$> and began the letter with his words of
Disbelief:

O 'Arabs! Our city is heavily fortified and has abundant
supplies and manpower. Were you to come against us you would
not be able to overcome us even in 100 years. Caesar Heraclius
is collecting reinforcements against you from as far as Great

185

Futuhushdm

Rumiyah and the Gulf. We are sending an envoy to you to make
a one-year truce with you so that we can see in whose hands the
landfalls. We also desire that border markings be established
between you and us, marking off the border of Qinsarin and al-
'Awdsim so that when the 'Arabs go on their raids, our lands
will be clearly marked off. We offer this truce in secret, for if
Heraclius were to find out he would kill us. (Greetings).

Then he gave the priest a resplendant robe, a mule from amongst his steeds and ten
boys.

19) The truce

The priest went to Hims. There he saw Abu 'Ubaydah * leading the Muslims in
Salatul ' Asr. He stood and stared, amazed at the sight. After the completion of the
Salah, the Muslims saw him and so they rushed to him and asked, "Who are you?
Where do you come from?"

He replied, "I am a messenger with a letter."

They took him to Abu 'Ubaydah &, whom he wanted to bow down to, but Abu
'Ubaydah .& forbade him and said, "We are the slaves of Allah, Most Honourable and
Majestic. Some will be fortunate and some wretched."

As for those who are wretched, they will be in the Fire, sighing

in a high and low tone. They will dwell therein for as long as

the Heavens and Earth endure. [11:106-7]

The priest was astounded and could give no reply, astonished at what Abu 'Ubaydah
4fe had said. Khalid 4& called out to him, "What do you want and whose messenger
are you?"

186

Part 2: Hims

Priest : Are you the commander?

Khdlid & (pointing at Abu 'Ubaydah) : No, he is.

Priest : I am the messenger of the governor of Qinsarin and al-'Awasim.

He took out the letter and handed it over to Abu 'Ubaydah * who read it out to the
Muslims.

When Khalid & heard the description of the city, the quantity of their supplies and
men, and their threat of Heraclius's reinforcements, he shook his head and said to
Abu 'Ubaydah <&, "By Him who helps us and made us from amongst the Ummah of
Muhammad #, the pure one, this letter is from such a man who does not desire
peace, but war."

Turning to the priest, he said, "Your people wish to deceive us until your master's
armies arrive. As soon as you see them arriving, you will repudiate the treaty and will
be the first to fight us. Then if you see us victorious, you will run away to that
despot, Heraclius. If you really intend to make a truce, then we promise you a one-
year truce. If any army comes to you during the truce, we will fight it. However,
whoever remains in the city and does not come out to fight with the army will be
considered to be at peace with us and we will not interfere with him."

Priest : We accept. Please put it in writing for us.

After Abu 'Ubaydah 4& wrote out the document, the priest said, "O commander, our
land borders that of the prince of Aleppo. We wish for markings to be set up so that
when your men go on raids they will not trespass our lands."

Abu 'Ubaydah & was pleased and said, "I will send men to mark off the border for
you."

Priest : We do not need any of you. We will manufacture a pillar with the statue of
Heraclius thereon and erect it. When your men see it they should not trespass.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe : Do that.

He handed over the document and announced to the Muslims, "Whoever sees the
pillars should not trespass, but should only confine his raids to the territory of
Aleppo. Whoever has heard this announcement should inform any absentees."

187

Futuhushdm

The priest returned to Luke and, telling him what transpired, handed him the
document. Luke rejoiced and planned to erect a huge pillar with a statue of Caesar
Heraclius sitting on his Imperial throne on it.

The Muslim horsemen would raid to the farthest extents of Aleppo, al-' Amq and
Antioch, but would desist from the borders of Qinsarin and al-'Awasim.

'Umar bin 'Abdillah narrates from Salim bin Qays who narrates from his
ancestor, Sa'd bin 'Ubadah 4h:

The Muslims agreed to the truce with the people of Qinsarin and al-'Awasim upon
receiving payment of 4,000 Imperial dinar, 100 Uqiyah (12.2 kg) of silver, 1,000
robes of Aleppo and 1,000 Wasaq (192.7 t) of food.

20) The statue

'Amir narrates:

We were out raiding when we saw the pillar with Caesar Heraclius's statue thereon.
We circled the pillar with our horses going back and forth to inspect it. Abu Jandalah
was carrying a long spear in his hand with which he pierced the statue's eyes when
his horse suddenly trotted forward without his command. There were some Romans
at the statue. They were the slaves of the governor of Qinsarin sent to guard the
pillar. They returned and informed him. He was enraged. He presented a golden cross
to one of his men, putting him in charge of 1,000 Christian horsemen who wore
Roman brocade and sword-belts. Then ordering Stacher to go with them, he said,
"Tell the commander of the 'Arabs - You have betrayed us and have not fulfilled your
duty unto us. He who betrays will be brought to the ground."

The priest took the cross and went to Abu 'Ubaydah <&. When the Muslims saw the
raised cross they rushed to him and lowered the cross. Abu 'Ubaydah & then came
out and asked, "Who are you?"

Priest : I am Qinsarin's governor's messenger to you. He says that you have been
treacherous and broken the treaty between us.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fc : How have we broken it?

Priest : By piercing the eyes of Caesar's statue.

Part 2: Hims

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : I swear that I know nothing of that. O Muslims, whoever pierced
the statue's eyes should inform us.

Muslims : O commander, Abu Jandalah and Sahl bin 'Amr did it accidently.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : They did it unintentionally. What will now satisfy you against us?

Christians : We will not be satisfied until we have gouged out the eyes of your king.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : I present myself. Do unto me as was done to your statue.

Christians : No! We want your great king who rules all the 'Arabs.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4t> : The Khalifah's eye will be safe from that.

The Muslims were furious at what the Christians said regarding 'Umar's ^ eye and
would have killed them had Abu 'Ubaydah * not prevented them. They said, "O
commander! We are under our leader and will willingly sacrifice ourselves for him.
We will take out our eyes in place of his."

Priest : Do not pierce 'Umar's eyes, nor yours. Instead, we will make a statue of the
commander on the pillar and do to it as you did to our Caesar's picture.

Muslims : We did it unintentionally while you are doing this intentionally.

Abu 'Ubaydah .&> : Restrain yourselves. If they will be satisfied with merely my
image then you have already accepted (greater than that). Let them not say that we
had an agreement with them and then betrayed them. These are a people without
integrity or intelligence.

He accepted their proposal so they made a statue of Abu 'Ubaydah <$> with glass eyes.
They placed it on the pillar. One of their horsemen angrily came and pierced it. The
priest then returned to inform Luke who addressed his people, "These people get
what they want in this manner."

21) 'Umar's & letter

Abu 'Ubaydah &> continued raiding in all directions from Hims awaiting the expiry
of the cease-fire. He delayed in sending any information to 'Umar 4» who received
neither letter nor news on any conquests. 'Umar <$> was displeased and began to
suspect that he was becoming lax in Jihad, so he wrote the following letter to him:

189

Futuhushdm

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : The slave of Allah, 'Umar bin al-Khattab, the
Commander of the Believers

To : The Trustworthy One of the Ummah, Abu 'Ubaydah 'Amir
bin al-Jarrdh

Saldm 'alayk

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and convey
salutations upon His Prophet Muhammad. I order you to fear
Allah in both secret and open. I warn you against sinning
against Allah Who is Most Honourable and Magnificent. I warn
you and absolutely forbid you from being amongst those about
whom Allah has stated :

Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your

kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in

which you fear a decline and the dwellings in which you

delight are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and

Jihad in His Path, then wait until Allah brings about His

decision (of punishment). And Allah guides not the disobedient

ones. [9:24]

Salutations be upon the Seal of all Prophets and Leader of all
the Messengers. All praise belongs to Allah, the Rabb of all the
worlds.

190

Part 2: Hims

Upon receiving the letter, Abu 'Ubaydah 4b read it out to the Muslims who realised
that 'Umar & was encouraging them to go and fight. Abu 'Ubaydah 4b regretted
making the truce with Qinsarin and every single Muslim wept on hearing the
contents of the letter and said, "O commander, what prevents you from waging
Jihad? Leave the people of Shayzar* and Qinsarin and take us against Aleppo and
Antioch. Perhaps Allah will conquer them through us. The truce is nearly over, only
a short while remains. Nothing remains forever except the Lofty King.

(*An error has occured in this narration. The truce was with al- 'Awasim, not Shayzar
- translator 's note.)

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b resolved to go against Aleppo. He tied one flag for Sahl bin ' Amr
and another for Mus'ab bin Muharib al-Yashkuri and ordered 'Iyad bin Ghanim to
lead the vanguard, followed by Khalid &. Abu 'Ubaydah <$> advanced until he
reached ar-Rashin, which surrendered. Arriving at Hamah, he saw the population
coming out. The priests led them while the monks raised the Bible aloft. He asked
them, "What do you want?" They replied, "We wish to surrender and live under your
rule and protection for you people are most beloved unto us."

He wrote out the document and left his representatives behind.

Upon reaching Shayzar, the people welcomed him and surrendered.

Abii 'Ubaydah 4b : Have you heard any news of the despot Heraclius?

Shayzaris : We have only heard that the governor of Qinsarin has written to him for
reinforcements. So he sent Jabalah bin al-Ayham al-Ghassani and the Christian
'Arabs together with the governor of Amorium commanding 10,000 cavalry. They
are now at the Iron Bridge, so beware, O commander.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : Allah suffices us and is the best disposer of affairs.

He remained at Shayzar, sometimes thinking of attacking Aleppo and sometimes
Antioch. He gathered the Muslim generals and said, "O people, I have been informed
that the governor of Qinsarin has broken the treaty by sending for reinforcements
from Heraclius. Heraclius has sent Jabalah bin al-Ayham with the Christian 'Arabs
and the governor of Amorium with 10,000 cavalry. They are now at the Iron Bridge.
What do you say in this matter?" .

Generals : O commander, leave Qinsarin and al-'Awasim and take us to Aleppo and
Antioch.

191

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah <& : Then get your gear. May Allah have mercy on you.

Less than a month remained for the truce between the Muslims and Qinsarin to
expire, so Abu 'Ubaydah 4s» waited for the expiry eagerly.

22) Slaves and firewood

It was discovered that the 'Arabs' slaves were cutting olive-, pomegranate- and other
fruit-bearing trees. Abu 'Ubaydah 4j» became angry and asked them, "What is this
wickedness?"

Slaves : O commander, the firewood trees are far off while these are near.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4» : I resolve to punish whoever cuts a fruit-bearing tree, whether he
is a freeman or slave.

Thereafter they would fetch firewood from far off places.

Sa'id bin 'Amir <& narrates:

I had with me an excellent slave called Muhji' who had participated with me in all
the battles. He was brave-hearted and when he went on a raid or in search of firewood
he would go far out.

One day he went in search of firewood with such slaves who had participated in the
battles. For a long time I had no news of him, so I mounted my horse to go in search
of him. Suddenly I came across the man with blood flowing down his face, soaking
his entire body. He was hardly able to take a single step without almost falling flat
on his face.

I dismounted to go to him and said, "What has happened to you?"

He said, "Death and destruction, O my master."

I said, "Tell me what has happened, O son of a black man?"

However, he could not remain standing and fell flat on his face.

I sprinkled water on his face. He calmed down and said, "O master, save yourself
before they do to you what they have done to me."

I asked him, "Who did this to you?"

192

Part 2: Hints

He answered, "O master, I went out with a group of slaves to gather firewood. We
went deep into the land when we came across a cavalry of about 1,000 horsemen, all
of them 'Arabs with gold and silver crosses around their necks and spears in their
hands. When they spotted us they rushed to us and circled around us intending to kill
us. I said, 'Attack them! ' The slaves said to me, 'Woe unto you! Who can fight when
we have no power against these men and horses. We have no choice but to offer
ourselves in captivity, for that is lighter than fighting.' I said, 'By Allah, never! I will
never hand myself over without putting up a fight.' When they saw my resolution,
they followed me and we fought the horsemen. They killed ten of us. As for me, I
was covered with wounds until I fell down on my face. They left me in the state that
you now see me in."

23) Dialogue with Jabalah

Sa'ld bin 'Amir al-Ansari <& narrates:

By Allah! What happened to the slaves greatly depressed me. I put the slave behind
me on the horse and retraced my steps when suddenly horses came from behind me
like a blowing wind or like water bursting out from a tight pipe. They were
horsemen of the tribe of Ghassan, carrying long spears and saying, "We are the
Christian warrior-monks of Ghassan."

I called out, "I am from amongst the Sahabah of Muhammad S, the Chosen One."

Some of them rushed towards me to kill me with their swords, so I shouted, "Woe
unto you! Do you kill a man of your own nation?" They asked, "From which people
are you?"

"From the noble tribe of al-Khazraj," I replied.

They exclaimed, "By Christ! You are wanted by our king, Jabalah bin al-Ayham,"
and withheld their swords.

I asked, "From where does Jabalah know me that he now looks for me?"

Ghassan : He seeks any Yamani man from the Ansar of Muhammad bin ' Abdillah.
Come with us voluntarily or we will force you.

(The Aws and Khazraj are Yamani in origin - translator 's note).

193

Futuhusham

I went with them until I came across a huge army with raised flags and crosses. They
took me to Jabalah's tent. He was wearing Roman brocade and sitting on a reddish -
golden throne. On his head were netted pearls and around his neck was a cross with
sapphires in it.

As I stood in front of him, he raised his head and said, "From which 'Arab nation are
you?"

Sa 'id 4& : I am of the Yamani people.

Jabalah : To which tribe do you belong to?

Sa 'id * : I am of the descendants of Harithah bin Tha'labah bin 'Amr bin 'Amir bin
Harithah bin Tha'labah bin Imra-il Qays bin 'Abdillah bin al-Azwar bin 'Awf bin
Malik bin Kahlan bin Saba.

Jabalah : To which branch are you connected to?

Sa 'id * : I am of al-Khazraj bin Harithah and am of the Ansar of Muhammad bin
'Abdillah, salutations and peace be upon him.

Jabalah : I am Jabalah bin al-Ayham who left Islam because 'Umar bin al-Khattab
would not have someone like me as a helper for this Din. He wanted to punish me
for the sake of a lowly slave whereas / am a Yamani king and chief of Ghassan!

Sa 'id *> : O Jabalah, verily Allah's right takes precedence over your right. Our Din
is not maintained except through truth and justice. When 'Umar acts in obedience to
Allah then he does not fear the words of those who blame and rebuke.

Jabalah : What is your name?

Sa 'id 4i> : Sa'id bin 'Amir al-Ansari.

Jabalah : Sit down, O Sa'id.

So I (Sa'id 4s>) sat down.

Jabalah : Do you have any knowledge of Hassan bin Thabit?

Sa'id ^ : He is the poet of Rasulullah ft who said to him, "You are Hassan and your
tongue is a sword." It was not long ago that he had invited me to a gathering of his,
wherein he ordered his slave-girl to recite a poem about you. Then we came out to
Syria and that was the last I heard of him.

194

Part 2: Hims

Jabalah : Will you teach me that poem?

Sa 'id 4> ■ Certainly.

Then he presented me with a Roman linen robe and said, "I have given you this linen
to wear and not for you to forbid it upon yourself. In the name of 'Arab solidarity,
what were you doing in that place where you were captured?"

Sa 'id & : Honesty is man's best tool. I am of Abu 'Ubaydah's 4* men. We are
intending to go to Aleppo and Antioch.

Jabalah : Know that Caesar has sent me and the patrician who is the governor of
Amorium to aid the governor of Qinsarin. He has deceived you with the truce. We
are waiting for him to meet us here. Return to Abu 'Ubaydah and warn him about our
swords. He should return from where he came from and not interfere with
Heraclius's realm for soon whatever you control of Syria will be seized from you.

24) Khalid & goes against Luke

I mounted my horse placing my slave behind me and returned to the camp. The
Muslims hurried towards me and said, "Where were you, Ibn 'Amir?"

I went to the general's tent where I reported to him about Jabalah.

Abu 'Ubaydah •&: Allah has saved you by means of your mentioning Hassan bin
Thabit al-Ansari.

Then he gathered the Sahabah & for consultation.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : O people, what is your opinion on this patrician to whom we have
been faithful but who has deceived us?

Khalid 4b: The tyrant will be destroyed. If he deceives then Allah is going to trap him.
Soon we will scheme a scheme greater than his. I am taking ten Sahabah of
Rasulullah ® to go and meet him.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : O Abu Sulayman, you are the right man for this and every
difficult task. Take whichever Sahabah you like.

Khalid 4b : Where are Tyad bin Ghanim al-Ash'ari, 'Amr bin Sa'id, Mus'ab bin
Muharib al-Yashkuri, Abu Jandalah bin Sa'id al-Makhzumi, Sahl bin 'Amr al-Amiri,
Rati' bin 'Umayrah at-Tai, al-Musayyib bin Najiyah, Sa'id bin 'Amir al-Ansari,

195

Futuhushdm

'Amr bin Ma'dikarab az-Zubaydi, 'Asim bin 'Amr al-Qaysi and 'Abdurahman bin
Abi Bakr?

They all answered, "We are at your service."

Dirar <& was absent due to an eye disease.

Khalid & called out, "Come." and was already clad in the armour of Musaylamah al-
Ka thth ab which he had taken from him at the Battle of Yamamah. He wore his
battle-gear, mounted his horse and called out to his slave, Hammam, "Come with me
to see amazing things."

As they all left, KMlid * asked, "O Sa'id, did Jabalah tell you from where the
governor of Qinsarin will be coming?

Sa 'id 4s> : Yes, Abu Sulayman, he told me.

Khalid 4* : Take us to Jabalah's road. When the patrician comes, we will deceive him
just as he deceived us and destroy him and all those with him.

Sa'id 4k went in front of them to guide them. They travelled hard that night in the
direction of the Christian army. When they came close to their fires and heard their
voices, Sa'id <& turned in the direction of the patrician's road and hid with his
companions. By dawn nobody pitched up, so Khalid & led them in Salatul Fajr in
their place of ambush. While they were there, they saw the armies of Jabalah and the
governor of Amorium heading towards al-'Awasim and Qinsarin.

So the Muslims said to Khalid 4&>, "O Abu Sulayman, do you not see that this army
is equal to thorns and trees in number?"

He replied, "Their numbers will be of no avail to them when we have Allah with us.
Go and mix with them as if you are part of their army until we can get to the
governor of Qinsarin and then Allah will do and choose as He wills."

So they mixed with the Christians, but remained together.

25) Luke captured

Rail' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

We crossed the ceasefire line into al-'Awasim and Qinsarin and saw the patrician
coming to welcome us (the Christian army). He came out with a cross in front of him

196

Part 2: Hims

and priests and monks walking ahead, all close to each other, reciting from the Bible
and raising their voices with their words of Disbelief.

He came to greet Jabalah and found the Sahabah <& in front of him. Khalid <& faced
him together with the other Sahabah *& around him. Not knowing who they were, he
said, "Christ grant you peace. May the Cross grant you long lives!"

Khalid 4» retorted, "Woe unto you, we are not cross-worshippers. We are Sahabah of
Rasulullah S, Muhammad, the beloved of Allah." He drew his sword proclaiming,
"There is no deity except Allah alone. I am Khalid bin al-Walid. I am the Makhzumi
Sahabi of Rasulullah S."

He then hit the patrician and pulled him out of his saddle.

The Sahabah & advanced, drawing their swords against his men. A tumult was
raised. The Christians called out their words of Disbelief and the Muslims
proclaimed the Oneness of Allah. Jabalah and the patrician of Amorium heard the
Muslims calling out, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" and felt uneasy. The
Christians saw the naked swords and pointed spears and so rushed to surround the
Muslims from all sides. Khalid 4» examined the situation that had befallen him and
his men. Luke was still being held prisoner, and Khalid feared that he would escape
or start fighting anew before he had a chance to kill him. He therefore raised his
sword to kill him, but saw him smiling.

Khalid 4» : Woe unto you! What makes you laugh?

Luke : You and your men are already dead but you still think of killing me. If you
spare me it will be better for you.

So Khalid 4& spared him and shouted, "O Sahabah of Rasulullah II, surround me to
defend me. Be patient at what befalls us. Do not be awed by the numbers that
surround you, for the worst that they can do to you is kill you. Death in the Path of
Allah is in fact Khalid's desire. By Allah! I have presented my life over and over
again hoping to be blessed with martyrdom. May Allah have mercy upon you. Know
that our proof is clear and leads to Allah as if we have already reached the Rabb and
live in an abode whose inhabitants do not die."

L^. pA L. j (_~*aj LfrS jv^-^J a

197

Futuhushdm

Tiredness touches them not therein and nor are they expelled
therefrom. [15:48]

The Sahabah & encircled him. 'Abdurahman bin AM Bakr •& was on his right, Rafi'
bin 'Umayrah on his left, his slave, Hamman behind him and the rest forming an
outer circle. He handed Luke over to Hamman and said to him, "Keep him at your
side and do not leave your place. Receive glad tidings of Help from Allah, the Most
Honourable and Magnificent."

The Christian 'Arabs then advanced against the Muslims. Jabalah, wearing a cross
around his neck, led them. The cross was golden and attached to a jewelled chain. He
wore chain-mail above a robe of embroidered brocade and a gold helmet topped with
a jewelled cross. He was carrying a long spear, the tip of which shone like a candle.
The governor of Amorium came like a solid tower surrounded by the Christians of
Mudlijah and they surrounded the Muslims. When he saw that Khalid &> had
captured Luke, he feared that Khalid <*> might kill him, so he said to Jabalah, "By
Christ! These 'Arabs are all devils. Do you not see that that 'Arab has only about ten
men and is completely surrounded by our army yet they are not concerned in any
way. They have our man captured and he cannot escape. I fear that they will kill him
whereas Heraclius Caesar greatly venerates him. So go to him and tell him that he
should free Luke and hand him over to us in exchange for their lives. However, once
they have handed him over we will attack them and kill them to the last man."

26) Khalid £> and Jabalah

Rafi' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

We were surrounding Khalid 4» and were in turn surrounded by the Romans and
Christian 'Arabs. Their numbers did not concern us because we placed our reliance
upon Allah. Jabalah appeared, calling out in a loud voice, "Who amongst you are of
the well-known Sahabah of Muhammad and who amongst you are from the
subservient 'Arabs? Tell us before we destroy you."

Khalid 4» (going forward) : We are of the Sahabah of the Chosen Muhammad S
known as the People of the Qiblah, Islam, nobility and generosity. As for your
question regarding our lineage, we are from various tribes. Allah has united us on a
single declaration and that is, "There is no deity but Allah. Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah.'"May Allah increase his status.

198

Part 2: Hints

Jabalah (angry) : You boy\ You are the commander of these 'Arabs?

Khalid #:Iam not their commander, but their brother-in-Islam and they are my
Believing brothers.

Jabalah : Who are you from amongst the Sahabah of Muhammad bin 'Abdillah?

Khalid & : I am known as the ram of Banu Makhzum. I am Khalid bin al-Walid, the
Sahabi of Rasulullah % and this man on my right is 'Abdurahman son of Abu Bakr
as-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him. On my left is of the nobility of Tayy of
Yaman, Rafi' bin 'Umayrah, my son-in-law and "heart. This is because I have
chosen from every tribe their famous and brave heroes, so do not think of killing us
nor become arrogant about your numbers for in battle we regard you as but little birds
hiding in their nest. The hunter comes across them and casts his net upon them so
that none except the distinguished one escapes.

Jabalah (growing even more angry) : Soon you will see that your words against us
are mere prattle when our spear-points are rotating around you and you and your men
are left as food for the beasts of this jungle who will rip you apart morning and
evening.

Khalid &: That is a mere trifle to us, nothing great. But who are you, O 'Arab, who
worships the Cross?

Jabalah : I am Chief of Banu Ghassan, a king of Hamdan, King of Ghassan and
wearer of their crown. I am Jabalah bin al-Ayham.

Khalid 4& : You are the one who left Islam and chose misguidance over guidance and
walked the path of error and thus became misguided and astray.

Jabalah : I am not like that. Rather, I am the one who chose honour above disgrace
and humiliation.

Khalid 4b : You seem very eager to lower yourself, for honour is tomorrow in the
Everlasting Abode far off from this wretched abode.

Jabalah : O brother of Banu Makhzum, do not push me too far with your words. The
only reason I am withholding my hand against you and your men is due to this
prisoner you hold. He is close to Caesar who respects him. I fear that if I attack you,
you will kill him before I can kill you. So release him then I will release you.

199

Futuhushdm

Khdlid 4b : As for my prisoner, I shall not leave him until I have killed him and I do
not care what happens to me afterwards. As for you threatening us with your great
numbers, it is most unjust. You are so many and we are just thirteen.

You have surrounded us with your horse's bridles, spear's points and long swords. If
you want to be fair then let one horseman take on another horseman while your
patrician stays here. If you kill us then he is obviously free and if Allah grants us
victory over you - for indeed victory comes only from Allah - then you will not be
concerned about the prisoner dying for you will have been killed before him.

Jabalah lowered his head and went to report Khalid's 4b reply to the governor of
Amorium who became intensely angry and unsheathed his sword. Khalid 4b
understood that he intended to launch an attack, but Jabalah stopped the governor,
and made him stand underneath his cross.

Jabalah returned to Khalid 4b and said, "O brother of Banu Makhzum, your proposal
appeals to justice. These Romans are sheep who do not understood the justice of
duelling. I told them what you said and they have now accepted the duel, so
whoever of you wants should come out and duel."

27) 'Abdurahman <& fights Jabalah

Rafi' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

Khalid 4b wanted to duel, but 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr 4» stopped him, saying, "O
Abu Sulayman! None will go and duel them besides me. I will strive to the utmost
against them. Perhaps I will meet Abu Bakr 4b."

Khalid 4b let him go and said, "Go. May Allah grant appreciation for your words and
recognition for your actions."

He went out riding the horse which 'Umar 4fr had received from the booty of
Ajnadayn. The horse was from the Christian 'Arabs of Banu Lakhm and JutMm and
was like a huge mountain. He was virtually drowning in iron and layered chain-mail
and bore a long spear in his hand. Roving between the Roman army and Ghassani
army, he challenged them to duel him, saying, "Come and fight. I am the son of as-
Siddiq." Then he recited the following poem before challenging them again to duel
him:

200

Part 2: Hims

JL_«_LJLj (j-jJ-J! IJ__» ^j_pl JL5_*JI JpUaJl a_-w^_«Jl j-i!

/ am #ze son 0/ 'Abdullah the one of elevation

And dignity, he was virtuous with perfection.

True in speech was my father of distinction,

I will act upon this Din with action.

Rafi' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

Five Roman horses came against him. In every round of attack he killed one until all
five lay dead. The Romans then held back from him, so Jabalah came furiously out
against him. When he neared him he said, "O boy, you have exceeded the limits
against us and gone overboard in fighting us."

'Abdurahmdn 4® : And how is that? How have I transgressed the limits?

Jabalah : You are filling the Earth with our corpses! I have not come out to fight you
but came because one of your companions came out to help you and this is against
the qualities of nobility and justice.

'Abdurahmdn <&> (smiling) : O Ibn al-Ayham, do you try to deceive me when 'Ali bin
Abi Talib trained me? I have participated with him in many battles and other
incidents.

Jabalah : I am not tricking you and speak nothing but the truth.

Abdurahmdn *fe : If you are speaking the truth then send one of your men against
this supposed companion of mine for I am willing and equal to your challenge.

Jabalah : My lad, why do you not join us? I will baptise you in holy water from
which you will emerge purified of all sins just as you were when you came out of
your mother's womb. You will be of the party of the Cross and Bible, partake in the
Communion and receive great awards from Caesar. I will marry you to my daughter
and grant you my bounties. I will greatly honour and enrich you. I am he about whom
your Prophet's poet composed this poem:

201

Futuhusham

*_j_i»j_?*Jt ^_» 4_S_i>-Ij_i ^.a J J j ' ■ o ; ^ -S-j L-«_j_j A — * -X-j>- t)l

Per/'/j */ze son ofJafnah tribe has ancestors who are blameless,

He gives a lot but considers it to be quite worthless.

He did not forget me when he ominously went to Syria, nor when

he became a Christian in Rome,

You will be at such a place where you will get every relaxation

if you visit his home.

So hurry to accept what I am offering you to save yourself from destruction

and to enjoy great bounties and luxury.

'Abdurahman 4» : There is no deity except Allah alone. He has no partner. Woe unto
you, you son of a despicable man. Do you invite me to come from guidance and go
to misguidance? From faith towards disbelief and ignorance? I am of those whose
faith sits deeply in their hearts, know guidance from crookedness, verify the truth of
Allah's Prophet and despise whoever denies Allah. Come and fight and leave this
deception and impossibility. Come forward and do what you really intended to do in
the first place so that I can strike off your head and dirty your nose with dust. Thus
will the 'Arabs be free of the shame of being connected to you for you are a denier
of the Most Merciful and a worshipper of crosses.

Jabalah became infuriated and attacked him. He wanted to stab him with his spear,
but ' Abdurahman 4g> dodged it and then returned his attack. The two of them began
thrusting their spears at each other until 'Abdurahman <& became exhausted from
using the spear. He flung it down and unsheathed his sword. They continued fighting
until he hit Jabalah's spear with his sword, cutting off the spear-point. Jabalah threw
the stump aside and drew his sword. It had come from Kindah and was a relic of 'Ad.
It was like lightning striking, breaking whatever it struck. Jabalah then launched a
vicious attack against him.

202

Part 2: Hims

Rafl' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

We were amazed at how 'Abdurahman 4b fought, considering his youth and lack of
support. They both struck at each other at the same time, but 'Abdurahman overtook
Jabalah, cutting through his shield right into his helmet which was of tempered steel.
He inflicted a deep wound in Jabalah whose blood began flowing.

Jabalah then struck back cutting right through his chain-mail, armour and clothing,
wounding his shoulder. When the pain struck 'Abdurahman, he kept steady,
pretending that the blow did not penetrate. He turned his horse and let loose its reins
until he reached Khalid &> and his men.

Khdlid 4b : Did the blow of the enemy of Allah reach you?

'Abdurahman 4i> : Yes.

He revealed his wounds to Khalid 4b, so the Muslims took him off his horse and
bandaged his wounds.

Khalid 4b then said to him, "O son of as-Siddiq, Jabalah's blow might have cut you,
but I swear that I will frighten them with regard to their prisoner just as they
frightened me with regard to you."

Then he called out to Hammam, "Bring that Christian here."

Hammam brought Luke in front of Khalid 4b who beheaded him.

28) Muslims face destruction

When the Romans saw what had happened to Luke, they went into mourning.
Jabalah was angry and said, "You have been nothing but treacherous in killing our
man." Then he shouted at the Romans and Christian 'Arabs to launch an attack.
When Khalid 4b saw them attacking the Muslims he said to Hammam, "Stay with
'Abdurahman and defend him against whoever intends to harm him. Thereafter he
called out to the Muslims, "O Sahabah of Rasulullah &! None of you should move
away from his partner to go and attack alone. Rather, you should all stay around me.
Help from Allah comes amazingly quickly."

So they gathered around him as he had ordered them and none came against them
except such a person who would soon lose any further hope of living.

203

Futuhusham

The Romans and Christian 'Arabs all attacked them, but the Muslims remained firm
despite the battle becoming more and more intense and their becoming more
alarmed.

Rabi'ah bin 'Amir narrates:

By Allah! Whenever the horses would start grouping against us, Khalid * would
personally go and shield us against them and scatter them. This continued until
hunger and thirst started afflicting us.

Rafi' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

When I saw hunger and thirst seizing us, I said to Khalid <&, "O Abu Sulayman, this
is the end of us."

"By Allah!" he replied, "You have spoken the truth for I forgot to bring with me the
blessed cap."

Matters became grave for the Muslims. They lost patience, were out of breath and
realised that the Christians would destroy them.

Even though the Earth was filled with Christian corpses, the Christians were about
to complete the capture of the Muslims. Suddenly an unseen voice proclaimed, "He
who thought himself to be safe has been abandoned and he who was fearing is
helped. O bearers of the Qur'an, receive glad-tidings, relief has come to you from the
Most Merciful who has helped you against the Cross-worshippers." This is after
hearts flew into throats (out of fear), and the cutting swords did their work whilst
horses had pounded against them.

Busrah narrates from Ishaq bin 'Abdillah:

I was with Abu 'Ubaydah's army at Shayzar when one night he came out of his tent
screaming, "O Muslims, to arms! The Muslim horsemen have been surrounded." We
rushed to him from every direction and said, "What is happening to you, O
commander?" Abu 'Ubaydah replied, "Rasulullah & came to me while I was
sleeping, pulled me and scolded me thus, 'O Ibn al-Jarrah, you sleep and do not help
a noble people? Get up and go to Khalid bin al-Walid who is surrounded by a
despicable people. If Allah wills, you will meet up with him.'"

204

Part 2: Hims

The Muslims immediately rushed to don their armour and weapons and mounted
their horses in search of Khalid 4b.

29) The blessed hair of Rasulullah $

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b, riding at the head of the Muslims, suddenly saw a rider whose
horse was speeding at a terrific pace ahead of the Muslims, so he ordered some men
to go and catch up but none were able to due to the horse's great speed. When the
horses of the Muslims grew too weak to catch up, Abu 'Ubaydah 4b thought that it
must be an angel sent ahead of them by Allah, so he called out, "Take it easy, O noble
horseman, who drives others away. Be gentle upon yourself. May Allah have mercy
upon you."

Upon hearing this call, the rider stopped until Abu 'Ubaydah 4b caught up and saw
that it was Umm Tamim, Khalid's 4t wife.

Abii 'Ubaydah 4& : What made you go ahead of us like that?

Umm Tamim : O commander, I heard you screaming, "Verily Khalid has been
surrounded by the enemy." So I said, "Khalid will never be helpless as long as he
carries the blessed hair of Rasulullah S with him," when I accidently came across
the blessed cap (wherein he keeps the hair). Seeing that he must have forgotten it, I
grabbed it and rushed to deliver it to him.

Abii 'Ubaydah 4b : I praise Allah at your action, O Umm Tamim. Go with Allah's
help and blessings.

Umm Tamim narrates:

I was with a group of 'Arab women of Mathhij and other tribes when we came across
the rising dust and the battle. We saw the spears and swords flashing like twinkling
stars but no sound was heard from the Muslims.

We disliked that and said, "The enemy is overpowering them."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" and charged with the Muslims.

Rafi' bin 'Umayrah narrates:

We had lost hope of living when suddenly we heard shouts of, "La ilaha illallah" and
"Allahu Akbar!" In a short while, the Muslims had the Christians surrounded and

205

Futuhushdm

thrust their swords at them from every direction. Voices were raised and screams
were heard.

Mus'ab bin Muharib al-Yashkuri narrates:

I saw the Cross-Worshippers fleeing while Khalid sat firmly in his saddle wondering
where the shouts were coming from. A rider appeared from the dust-cloud shoving
aside the Roman horsemen who were fleeing. When the rider reached near us, Khalid
& went ahead and asked, "Who are you, O brave horseman?"

Umm Tamim replied, "I am your wife, Umm Tamim, O Abu Sulayman. I have
brought you the blessed cap through which you are helped against your enemies, so
take it. By Allah! You did not forget it except that this predestined event should come
to pass."

As she handed it to him a flash of light like blinding lightning could be seen
emanating from the hair of Rasulullah H.

Khalid 4» put on the cap and immediately attacked the Christians who fled in
confusion. The Muslims launched a massive attack and in a short while the enemy
were overpowered leaving none except the dead, wounded and prisoners behind.

The first to flee was Jabalah, followed by his Christian 'Arabs. After returning from
the pursuit the Muslims gathered around the flag of Abu 'Ubaydah 4* to greet him
and each other. They thanked Allah for granting them safety. He looked at Khalid 4jb
and his men who resembled purple stumps. Abu 'Ubaydah 4* shook his hand,
congratulated him on attaining safety and said, "O Abu Sulayman, Allah be praised
at your deeds. You have dealt with the treacherous ones and pleased the Grand King.
O Muslims, I believe that we should move without delay against Qinsarin and al-
' Awasim. We will kill their men and seize their wealth." The Muslims replied, "What
an excellent view, O Trustworthy One of the Ummah."

30) The caravan of Ba'labakk

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* selected a group of horsemen to act as the vanguard under 'Iyad
bin GMnim al-Ash'ari. Upon reaching Qinsarin and al-'Awasim he ordered them to
start raids. So they began the raids, capturing children and killing men. The people
of Qinsarin therefore shut the city gates and offered peace on payment of Ji2yah. Abu
'Ubaydah 4* accepted and wrote out the terms of surrender. He imposed on each
person the Jizyah of four dinars as 'Umar 4* had ordered him to do.

206

Part 2: Hims

After the conquest of Qinsarin, Abu 'Ubaydah 4» said to the Sahabah &, "Advise me
for Allah has commanded His Prophet II thus:

v4«c/ consult them in the affair. Then when you have reached a
decision place your trust upon Allah. [3:159]

So shall we go to Aleppo which is heavily fortified, or to Antioch which has many
slaves and soldiers or shall we return?"

Muslims : O commander, how can we go to Aleppo and Antioch when the truce is
expiring with Armin, Hims and Jusiyah. Doubtless they have fortified themselves,
stocked up food and reinforced their men. We fear that they will attack us in the
territory which we have occupied, especially at Ba'labakk and its fort, for they are
strong and numerous.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fr left Khalid 4» at Hims and proceeded to Ba'labakk. When he
neared it, he came across a caravan consisting of mules and other beasts carrying
different kinds of merchandise. Seeing this great caravan which had come from the
coast heading for Ba'labakk, Abu 'Ubaydah 4a said, "What a great caravan this is."

Muslims : We do not know anything about it.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* : Then go and find out.

Some horsemen went and returned to report that it was a Roman caravan carrying
much merchandise.

Shaddad bin ' Adi narrates:

Most of the caravan's load was sugar for Ba'labakk. Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> said,
"Ba'labakk is at war with us, we have no agreement with them. Take what Allah has
sent to you for that is Allah's booty unto you."

So we captured the caravan which had 400 loads of sugar, olives, pistachios etc. and
took the people prisoner. Abu 'Ubaydah 4* declared, "Refrain from killing them and
seek ransoms from them."

207

Futuhushdm

We released them upon payment of gold, silver, robes and beasts. We used the sugar
to make a thick paste of flour and clarified butter and a sweet made of flour and
honey with butter and olives. Imagine how the Muslims ate! We spent the night at
the place where we had attacked the caravan and remained there until morning. Abu
'Ubaydah 4b then ordered us to advance to attack Baiabakk, but some of the people
of the caravan had escaped and informed the Ba'labakkis of what had happened to
the caravan. The governor of Ba'labakk was another Herbius. When this warrior
heard of the coming of the Muslim army, he called his soldiers to get their weapons
and gear. He led his forces out of Ba'labakk, knowing that Abu 'Ubaydah 4e was
coming towards him with the Muslim army.

31) Battle of Ba'labakk

The two armies spotted each other at midday. The patrician had a cavalry of 7,000
plus the mob which had followed him from his land. When the Muslims saw him
they called out, "To arms! To arms!"

The bravest Muslims rushed to the frontlines, pointing their spears and unsheathing
their swords. The patrician in the meantime was arranging military formation of his
men when one of his generals said, "What do you wish to do with the 'Arabs?"

Herbius : I will fight them to such an extent that they will never again entertain
desires against us and attack our city.

General : I opine that you should not fight them, but should return back safely, for
verily the people of Damascus could not overcome them, nor could the armies of
Ajnadayn and Palestine repulse them. You have heard enough of what they did
recently to the governors of Qinsarin and Amorium and the Christian 'Arabs and how
they made them turn on their heels in defeat. The best thing for you to do is to return
to save yourself and those with you.

Herbius : I will neither return, nor will I be defeated. I have heard that most of their
army is stationed at Hims with Khalid bin al-Walid. This is but a small number sent
to us as booty by Christ.

General : As for me, I will not fight them for I disagree with you.

The general lifted his horse's reins and returned to Baiabakk, followed by many of
the Christians. As for the patrician, he continued his preparations, bent on battle. Abu
'Ubaydah *$. saw this, so he too arranged the Muslim ranks and said, "O people, may
Allah have mercy upon you. Know that Allah has promised victory unto you and has

208

Part 2: Hints

already helped you. He defeated most of these people already. This city to which you
are heading for lies in the centre of the area you have already conquered. The people
have stocked up on provisions, equipment and power, so beware of vanity, but seek
revenge and fight the enemies of the Din. Help Allah's Din and He will help you."

He then led the Muslims in attack.

'Amir bin Rabi'ah narrates:

I swear that we only fought them for a single round when they turned and fled,
heading for the city walls. The governor, wounded in seven places, entered the city
with his men'. The general who had advised him against fighting the 'Arabs met him
and said, "So where is the booty of the 'Arabs which you captured?"

Patrician : May Christ disfigure you! You dare to mock me? The 'Arabs have killed
my men and inflicted these wounds on me.

General : Did I not tell you that you will ruin yourself and your men?

Abu 'Ubaydah <& reached the city and found it to be formidable; built like a fortress.
The inhabitants had gathered all their wealth and animals and put them in the centre
of the city. The Muslims saw all this wealth spread out like a swarm of locusts. When
Abu 'Ubaydah <# saw the city, its fortifications, its wealth, its many men and intense
cold - BaTabakk remains cold, summer or winter - he said to the elite amongst the
Sahabah &, "What is your opinion on this city?"

They agreed on besieging the city.

Mu 'dth bin Jabal 4* : May Allah keep the commander in a good state. The Romans
are overcrowded in the city and I think that it cannot hold them all. If we protract a
siege against them we can hope for Allah's help and victory at our hands.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> : O Ibn Jabal, how do you know that they are crowded in the city?

Mu 'dth 4a : I was the first to charge against the enemy and upon reaching them I saw
the city and the White Fort. I tried to reach their front row so that the Muslims could
cut them off from the city (but no Muslim joined me). I saw them entering the city
like a flood from every gate and the city became filled with rural folk, villagers, cattle
and animals. The city became tight for them until their voices resembled the droning
of bees due to their great number.

209

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah # : You have spoken the truth, O Mu'ath. By Allah! I know you to
have only a good and correct opinion.

32) Romans reject surrender

The Muslims spent the night guarding each other until the morning, Abu 'Ubaydah
& then sent the following letter to the people of Ba'labakk:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : The commander of the Muslim armies in Syria and the
representative of the Commander of the Believers, Abu
'Ubaydah bin al-Jarrdh

To : The opposing and stubborn people ofBa 'labakk.

Allah Who is Most Pure from defect, Most High and to Whom
belongs all praise has made this Din triumph and has aided His
believing friends over the armies of the Disbelievers. He has
conquered the cities and disgraced the people of wickedness. We
send this letter to explain ourselves to your great and small ones
for we are a people whose religion does not allow oppression
and fighting unnecessarily without finding out your state. So if
you come to terms just as the cities before you did, we will grant
you safety and the responsibility of Islamic rule will fall on us.
If you are set on fighting us, then we will seek Allah's help
against you and wage war against you.

Hurry with your reply.

210

Part 2: Hims

...Peace be upon him who follows guidance. It has been

revealed to us that punishment is for those who deny and turn

away. [20:48]

He folded the letter and gave it to a subject Disbeliever ordering him to deliver it to
the people of Ba'labakk and to return with a reply. When the messenger reached the
city walls he called out, "I am a messenger unto you from the 'Arabs." They dropped
a rope which he tied around his waist. They lifted him up to them and took him to
the governor to whom he delivered the letter.

Herbius gathered the soldiers and generals, read out the letter to them and said,
"Present your views on this matter."

A patrician from amongst his advisors said, "Personally I feel that we should not
fight them. We have no power to fight them and once peace is attained we will be
safe, calm and prosperous just as the people of Arakah, Palmyra, Hawran, Busra and
Damascus have become. If we fight them they will defeat us, kill our men, enslave
us and take our women. Peace is therefore better than war."

Herbius : May Christ have no mercy upon you. I have never seen a greater coward
or less enduring man than you. How can you talk of handing our city over to this
'Arab waste especially now that you have been acquainted with their war tactics and
fighting and have tested them in battle? Had I attacked their left wing I would have
defeated them.

Patrician : O really? I am sure that they and even their centre were quite terrified of
you.

The two ended up arguing and swearing at each other with the populace split into two
camps - one wanting to fight and the other wanting to surrender. The governor
shredded the letter, threw the pieces at the messenger and ordered his men to lower
him out of the city.

The messenger reached the Muslim camp where he reported to Abu 'Ubaydah 4*
what had happened and said, "O commander, the majority of them are intent on
fighting."

Abu 'Ubaydah «& called out to the Muslims, "Be severe against them and bear in
mind that this city is in the centre of all that you have conquered. If it remains
unconquered, it will be a nuisance to those whom you have made peace with and you
will not be able to travel unhindered."

211

Futuhushdm

The SaMbah of Rasulullah S got their weapons and gear and proceeded towards the
city walls where the defenders looked down on them. Both sides began flinging
stones and arrows at each other. The governor had placed his seat in one of the fort's
towers which faced an-Namlah. He had bandaged his wounds and wore his weapons
and upper-body armour and on his head was a jewelled cross. The patricians and
others surrounding him were wearing golden armour and were very well equipped.
Around their necks hung golden jewelled crosses and in their hands they carried
bows and arrows.

33) The Roman attack

'Amir bin Wahb al-Yashkuri narrates:

I participated in the Battle of Ba'labakk. When the Muslims charged against the city
walls the Roman arrows came flying like locusts. Some 'Arabs had no weapons and
were struck by the arrows. I saw the Romans throwing each other down on us from
the walls just like birds fall down on grains. I went to one of the enemy who had been
flung down so that I could behead him when he shrieked, "AlghawthlAlghawth!" in
Greek. From experience in the war we understood that to be a request for safety from
us, so I said to him, "Woe unto you! I grant you safety but tell me who threw you
down the wall?"

He started prattling in Greek, which I did not understand.

I took him to Abu 'Ubaydah's 4= tent where I said to him, "O commander, get
someone who understands this Christian's language for I saw them flinging each
other down from the walls."

Abu 'Ubaydah # said to a translator who was present, "Find out this Christian's
story and why they are throwing each other down."

Translator : Woe unto you! We have granted you safety, so answer us honestly. Why
are you throwing each other down?

Roman : We do not throw our own people down. We are the villagers and country
folk who upon hearing of your coming here from Qinsarin fled to the city for
protection from all the rural districts because we knew that a large army is here at
Ba'labakk. The place was overcrowded and the roads blocked. Some of us went to
the city walls. When there was no other place for us to go to we moved in the
towers and onto the city walls. Then when you attacked, the soldiers of the city came

212

Part 2: Hints

to us and started trampling us. When the fighting intensified against them they
started throwing us from the towers and walls.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& was overjoyed and said, "I hope that Allah is granting them as
booty for us." The battle intensified and men were ground up like wheat. Screams
were raised whilst the Romans defended their wall and none of the Muslims could
get near to it due to the intensity of arrows and stones raining down upon them.

Ghiyath bin 'Adi at-Tai narrates:

During the first day of the attack on Baiabakk, twelve Muslims were martyred while
many Romans, soldiers and civilians, were killed. We returned to the camp having
no appetite whatsoever for food or drink, only wanting to warm ourselves by the fire
due to the intense chill. Thus we spent the night lighting fires and taking turns to
watch the camp.

After we had prayed Salatul Fajr an announcer proclaimed on behalf of Abu
'Ubaydah, "It is my firm resolve that none of you shall battle these people until he
has gone to his luggage and prepared for himself hot food. He should eat to be strong
against the enemy."

We went to make our preparations, resulting in a delay which made the Romans think
that we were not coming out of cowardice and weakness. Herbius therefore called
out, "Go out and get them. May Christ bless you."

Ghiyath bin 'Adi narrates:

The Muslims did not even realise that the gates were open with the Roman cavalry
and infantry advancing against us like a swarm of locusts. Some of us were
stretching our hands towards the food and others were still baking their bread when
the herald proclaimed, "O cavalry of Allah, mount your horses and prepare for Jihad.
Attack the enemy before they destroy you."

Hamdan bin Usayd al-Hadrami narrates:

I had some bread with me and took some olive oil to use as gravy with the bread
when the herald proclaimed, "To arms! To arms!"

By Allah! I quickly grabbed a piece of bread, dipped it in the oil and put it in my
mouth. I stood up quickly and jumped on the horse bareback. In my haste to respond

213

Futuhushdm

to the call, I became confused and grabbed one of the tent pillars and charged the
Romans. By Allah! I did not realise what I was doing and was not even aware of
myself until I was amongst the Romans, hacking them to bits and pieces with my
sword. I saw the enemy spread out while Abu 'Ubaydah was shouting loudly, "Today
is the day, not afterwards." He had erected a flag to which the people were rushing.
Seeing the enemy's fierceness in fighting and perseverence in the attack of the
Muslims, he led an attack against them surrounding them from all sides. Amongst
those who were with him were 'Amr bin Ma'dikarab, Ibn Abi Bakr, Rabi'ah bin
'Amir, Malik bin al-Ashtar, Dirar and Thul Kala' al-Himyari 4b. Praise be to Allah,
they fought most valiantly and proved themselves most brave.

As a result of their attack, the Romans began fleeing back to the city walls and shut
the city gates. The Muslims returned to their camp to light their fires and bury the
martyrs. The Muslim chiefs approached Abu 'Ubaydah and said, "O commander,
may Allah have mercy upon you. Have you resolved upon any plan?

Abu 'Ubaydah # : We should withdraw half a Farsakh (2.7 km) from the city to give
your horses space to roam in and to prevent a similar attack from being repeated.
Help comes only from Allah Most High.

He then summoned Sa'id bin Zayd bin 'Amr bin Nufayl <&>, tied a flag for him, gave
him command of over 500 horsemen and 300 infantry and ordered them to go down
to the valley and fight the enemy at the gates so as to preoccupy them from turning
towards the Muslims. Similarly Dirar * was given command of 500 cavalry and 100
infantry to attack the Syria Gate. Abu 'Ubaydah 4» instructed him thus, "O Dirar,
show your bravery against the Romans. Go and fight them."

Dirar 4» : Nobly and lovingly (do I obey).

Both armies departed for their separate destinations.

34) Second Roman attack

In the morning the Romans opened the gates and emerged as a large crowd around
the governor, who said, "Beware O Christians, for the people of this religion before
you were too cowardly to fight the 'Arabs and were unable to fight them in battle!"

Christians : O sir, we fight with willing and happy hearts for although we feared
them before finally experiencing battle with them, we now know that they cannot
persevere any more than us in battle because they wear uncouth, old clothing or

214

Part 2: Hints

tattered furs while we wear armour and chain-mail and we have gifted our lives to
Christ.

When Abu 'Ubaydah * saw the great multitude, he called out, "O Muslims, do not
lose heart for then the wind of your power will dissipate. Be patient for Allah is with
the patient ones."

The reality was that the Romans were scared because of what had occurred the
previous day. They then launched a massive attack.

Sahl bin Sabbah al-'Absl narrates:

I witnessed the attack of the Baiabakkis. On the second day they come against us
trying to achieve what they had attempted on the first day and mounted a fierce
assault against us. I was wounded in my upper right arm and could not lift a sword
or even move my arm, so I dismounted my horse and roamed amongst my friends,
thinking to myself, "If anyone targets me I will not be able to defend myself."

I climbed to the top of the mountain and watched the two armies. The Romans
desired to exterminate the Muslims, who were calling out for help. Abu 'Ubaydah *
was making du'a. Each tribe and family was vying to outdo the other in battle.

I was behind a rock on the mountain watching the striking of swords on helmets and
shields from which sparks were flying. The two armies clashed and were
indistinguishable from one another. I said to myself, "Woe unto me! Abu 'Ubaydah
4» is in a fearful situation in one place while Dirar and Sa'ld bin Zayd are at other
places. Perhaps they could be of help in removing this terrifying violence from him."

So I hurried to break some trees and piled the wood up. Using a piece of flint that I
had with me I lit a fire and burnt the wood - green pieces as well as dry ones,
resulting in a thick smoke arising. This was in fact the signal for us to gather at night
in Syria i.e. to light a smoky fire. As the smoke rose to the sky, Dirar* and Sa'id *
and their men saw it and called out to each other, "May Allah have mercy. Let us get
to Abu 'Ubaydah * for this smoke indicates a grave matter. The correct thing to do
is to gather our horses in one place."

So they rode fast until they saw the Muslims in the throes of battle and in a most
difficult and terrifying situation. Suddenly a voice called out, "O bearers of the
Quran, help has come to you from the Most Merciful against the worshippers of the
cross." They saw Sa'id bin Zayd <&> and Dirar * coming at the head of the cavalry

215

Futuhushdm

with their spears readied. The two now attacked the Romans who had been certain of
victory up until then.

When the flags of the Muslims appeared the Romans turned to see what was
happening and discovered that the Muslims had come from behind and cut them off
from the city. They wailed, "O ruin! O destruction!" thinking that reinforcements had
arrived for the Muslims and that the governor had deceived them.

When the governor saw their apathy, he called out, "Woe unto you! Do not return to
the city. You have been cut off from it due to a trick of the 'Arabs." They obeyed and
formed a circle around him, defending each other.

35) Romans trapped in the ruins

The governor led them to the mountain on his left-hand side, with Sa'id 4t> and
Dirar4fc coming from the right-hand side of the fort, attacking and pursuing them.
The Romans arrived at the mountain and took refuge in an empty fortified building.
Sa'id & continued coming after them with his 500 cavalry, having not heard Abu
'Ubaydah & announcing, "O people, none should break away from us to pursue them
for their retreat may actually be a trick against you so that when you become
separated they will attack you." Had Sa'id ^ heard him he would not have gone out.

Seeing the Romans in the mountain, Sa'id #. said, "These are people whom Allah
intends to destroy. Surround them from all directions and do not spare a single one
of them who shows his head until the Muslims join us and we receive further orders
from the commander."

Turning to one of the senior Muslims he said, "Act in my place so that I can go and
find out what Abu 'Ubaydah &, and those with him think."

He then took about twenty of his men and went until they met up with the Muslims.

When Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe saw him he said, "O Sa'id, where are your men? What have
you done with them?"

Sa 'id 4* : Glad tidings! The Muslims are in a good state and safe. They are besieging
the enemies of Allah in the mountain.

He then narrated the whole incident to him.

Abu 'Ubaydah * : Praise be to Allah who defeated them in their own lands and
scattered them. However what is this disobedience from the two of you (Sa'id and

216

Part 2: Hims

Dirar^,)? Did I not order you to stay at the gates to occupy the enemy there? What
brought you back to me? The Muslims and myself were fearful about your condition,
fearing that the Romans had destroyed you and therefore we did not go against those
who were fleeing.

Sa 'id 4* : By Allah! I did not disobey your orders, nor did I oppose your words. I was
stationed where you had ordered me. We saw black smoke rising so we said, "By
Allah! This must be some catastrophe suffered at the hands of the Romans or a
signal of the Muslims to call us," so we rushed to you.

Abu 'Ubaydah * had an announcement made, "Whoever lit the fire and made the
smoke on the mountain should report to the commander, Abu 'Ubaydah."

Sahl bin Sabbah narrates:

When I heard the announcement I answered the herald and reported to Abu 'Ubaydah
<& who asked me, "What made you so audacious as to do that?"

I narrated the whole incident to him. He said, "Allah has guided you to Paradise, but
beware of taking any action after this without your commander's permission."

36) The Muslims are trapped

Abu 'Ubaydah 4h and Sahl were speaking when Munhadir bin al-Jabal shouted, "To
arms! To arms! O Ummah of the Bearer of glad-tidings and warnings, go and join
your brethren who are surrounded by the Romans and are in a serious situation."

The governor had advanced against the Muslims and called out to the Christians, "O
worshippers of Christ, get this paltry number of disgusting people who surround you.
Kill them and enter the city for if you kill them you will break the 'Arabs' power and
they will leave you alone."

Mus'ab bin 'Adi narrates:

I was amongst the men of Sa'id bin Zayd at Ba'labakk. We had surrounded the
governor and his men at the mountain when, before we realised what was happening,
the Romans came charging at us from all directions. We called out to each other and
gathered together. By Allah! Their cavalry poured out against us and surrounded us
after we had been surrounding them. Our slogan that day was simply, "Patience!
Patience!"

217

Futuhushdm

We were in a bad state and terrible anxiety overcame us when we heard a loud voice
all over the mountain proclaiming, "Is there no man who will give his life in the Path
of Allah by going to call the Muslims to arms? Indeed they are near to us but do not
know what has befallen us."

Upon hearing this call I spurred my horse with my ankle. It was a prime horse which
would race like the blowing wind or like water gushing forth from a burst tight pipe.
It was like a big mountain. By Allah! It sped under me like lightning and the Romans
could catch nothing of it except its dust after I killed two of them. My horse raised
its legs above rocks and went over rough terrain until I saw the Muslim army and
called out, "To arms! To arms! O Ummah of the Bearer of glad tidings and
warnings."

When Abu 'Ubaydah 4t> heard the cry he summoned the archers. When 500 of those
who bear 'Arabian bows responded, he placed them under Sa'id bin Zayd and said
to him, "May Allah have mercy upon you. Hurry and join your men before the enemy
gets them."

Then he called Dirar «$> and his men and said to him, "Go and join your brother, Sa'id
bin Zayd."

The Muslims flew out like a swarm of locusts and climbed the mountain. They saw
the Romans surrounding the Sahabah of Rasulullah 81.

Abu Zayd bin Waraqah bin 'Amir narrates:

I was amongst the men of Sa'id bin Zayd who fought at the mountain. They had
surrounded us but we were patient like noble men. Amongst us seventy men were so
severely wounded that they were close to death. We were fatigued from the fighting
and injuries when suddenly we heard cries of, "La ilaha illallah" and "Allahu Akbar."
When the Romans saw the flags of the Muslims they fled back to the building. We
caught up with those retreating, killing and wounding them. The enemy took shelter
in the ruins which we surrounded. None dared expose his head without being shot at
with many arrows readied. Abu 'Ubaydah 4s was informed of the Muslim and
Christian death-tolls and that the enemy was being besieged without having any
provisions or water. He said, "Praise be to Allah! O people return to your goods and
pitch your tents around the city for Allah is fulfilling His promise of help."

The Muslims shifted to their first site outside the city. Scouts were despatched, sheep
and camels sent for grazing and the slaves were sent out to gather firewood. Fires
were lit and the fear dispelled and they now all felt at ease.

218

Part 2: Hints

On the other hand, the Ba'labakkis were spread out on the city walls, wailing in
anguish in Greek. Abu 'Ubaydah <& asked one of the translators, "What are they
saying?"

"O commander," replied the translator, "They are saying, 'Woe unto us! How great
is our affliction. O ruin of our homes! O death of our men! The 'Arabs have
conquered our lands.'"

37) The Romans seek a way out

That evening Abu 'Ubaydah 4» sent a messenger to Sa'id bin Zayd <&> with this
message, "O Ibn Zayd, may Allah have mercy upon you. Be very careful with the
Muslims with you. Make a special effort to see that not a single Roman escapes you.
Do not give them the space of even one foot for a single one to escape for then their
last man will also escape like the first man. You will then be like a man who had
something in his hand and then destroyed it himself."

When the message reached Sa'id &> he ordered his men to besiege them from all
sides and permitted only 100 armed men to gather firewood. They obeyed, lit fires
and spent the night circling the building reciting, "La ilaha illallah" and "Allahu
Akbar!"

Upon seeing this the governor said to his men, "Woe unto you! We have lost hope of
any plan and our thinking was flawed. We have neither help nor reinforcements nor
allies. Even if we make any great effort the 'Arabs will effortlessly keep us trapped
here in this building. We have in fact trapped ourselves in this prison where there is
neither food nor drink. If this continues for a second or third day then our strong ones
will weaken and our weak ones will die. We will be forced to surrender and then they
will kill us all. All our strategy will be void."

Patricians : Sir, what should we do?

Governor : We will deceive them. We will ask them for a peace pact for ourselves
and the people of the city - as they had asked, then I will guarantee them that I will
conquer the city on their behalf and be under their rule. Once we are inside the city
we will attack them from the city walls above. We might get a message through to
the governors of 'Ayn al-Jawz and Jusiyah. Hopefully they will send reinforcements
and fight the 'Arabs outside the city while we attack from above the city walls. Christ
will suffice us this time.

219

Futuhushdm

A General : O Sir, know that the governor of Jusiyah will never come to our aid
because he is too busy himself and may be in a siege similar to ours. In fact we were
informed just before the 'Arabs invaded us that they surrendered having no ability or
power to fight the 'Arabs. As for the people of 'Ayn al-Jawz they are spread to the
furthest ends of Syria, involved in their trade and most probably have entered into
'Arab rule. So now consider what is best for yourself and your citizens.

The governor was forced to concede to all of this. In the morning he climbed to the
top of the wall of the building and called out, "O 'Arabs, is there anyone amongst
you who understands Greek? I am the governor, Herbius." A translator who heard
him went to Sa'id bin Zayd & and said, "O Sir, that Christian is their governor, it
appears that he wants to speak to you."

Sa 'id 4& : Let him send whom he wills. Tell him that his messenger will be safe until
he returns to him.

38) The Roman envoy

When the translator informed him of this, he turned to one of his senior officers and
said, "You see our situation and how the 'Arabs have cut off our escape. Christ has
permitted Syria to be ruined. The 'Arabs have triumphed over us and we are in dire
straits. If we do not seek their guarantee of safety they will destroy us and our
horsemen and then they will rule over our women and children and divide our wealth
and children amongst themselves. We have no hope of outside help for every city is
too busy defending itself. So go down and obtain their guarantee of safety. This will
enable me to deceive them once we have returned to the city. I may be able to entice
their leader with some wealth so that he will leave us for some other place, then we
will see what transpires between him and Heraclius."

Upon reaching Sa'id <&, the envoy wanted to prostrate but was prevented from doing
so. The Muslims rushed to him and physically restrained him. Perplexed, he asked,
"Why do you prevent me from honouring him?"

The translator conveyed the question to Sa'id «#& who replied, "He and I are both
slaves of Allah Most High. This kind of honouring and prostration belongs solely to
Allah, the Eternal, The Worshipped One, the King."

Envoy : So this is how you have been able to obtain victory against us and other
nations.

Sa 'id 4& : Why have you come here?

220

Part 2: Hints

Envoy : I have come to obtain a guarantee of safety for our governor and a
guarantee that you will not break your word with us.

Sa 'id 4b : It is not of the conduct of leaders and generals of armies to violate their
guarantees of safety. We, praise be to Allah, do not break our word. I will grant
amnesty to your governor and all those with him who lay down their arms, surrender
and seek amnesty.

Envoy : We want this guarantee from your superiors and your subordinates.

Sa 'id 4* : Granted.

The envoy returned to inform the governor and then said, "Go, but beware of
deception for the deceiver is always destroyed. These 'Arabs do not betray their
trusts and word."

39) The Romans come out

I (al-Waqidi) have been informed that Herbius stripped off whatever he was wearing,
including the brocade and laid down his arms. He was dressed in wool and emerged
bare-headed, bare-footed and humiliated. His men accompanied him. They came
before Sa'id 4fe who fell prostrate before Allah, saying, "All praise be to Allah Who
has removed the tyrants from us and made us masters over their princes and kings."
Then he turned to the governor and said, "Come closer." When he came to sit at his
side, Sa'id 4& asked him, "Do you always wear this or something else?"

Governor : By Christ and the Communion, never! I have never worn wool before,
only silk and brocade. I am wearing this now because I have not come to fight you.
Will you grant amnesty to my men and people?

Sa 'id : As for those men here, they will be granted safety if they enter Islam and
then they will enjoy the same rights as we do. If they wish to remain on their old
religion they will have to promise to never again carry arms against us. As for the
city, Abu 'Ubaydah, my commander, is attacking it and I expect that Allah has
already granted him victory over it. I want to take you to him so that he can hear you
out and make peace with your people. Come with me under my protection. If peace
is not achieved I will bring you and those of your men who so wish, back to this place
and then Allah will decide between us. Indeed He is the best of deciders.

Governor : I will do that.

221

Futuhushdm

Sa'id <& then called Sa'id bin Zayd bin AbT Waqqas bin ' Awf al-' Adawi and said to
him, "0 Ibn Abi Waqqas, convey the glad-tidings of what you have heard to Abu
'Ubaydah and hurry with your reply."

Sa'id al-'Adawi mounted his great war-horse and raced away to Abu 'Ubaydah <*.
He halted in front of him, made salam and said, "May Allah keep the commander in
a good state. I convey the good news that the governor, Herbius, has sought amnesty
from Sa'id bin Zayd who wants to bring him to you to obtain your guarantees of
peace and safety for him and the city". Abu 'Ubaydah 4t> fell down into prostration
out of gratitude to Allah. After raising his head he called out, "O people, advance to
fight the city right now. Display all your weapons and shout, 'Allahu Akbar,' so as to
terrify them." The Muslims thus went and shook the city with their cries of, "Allahu
Akbar!" and terrified the Ba'labakkis. The two sides challenged each other to
combat. The Muslims surrounded the city from all sides.

Mirqal bin 'Utbah went to inform them of the governor's surrender and said, "Save
your lives, children and wealth by surrendering. If you refuse, then Allah Most
Blessed and High has promised us through the tongue of His Prophet Muhammad ®
that He will conquer your lands, cities and all else. Indeed Allah is fulfilling that
now." The Ba'labakkis were scared witless, their hearts shaking with fear. Throwing
dust on their faces, they exclaimed, "The governor has destroyed us and himself. Had
we surrendered before this siege it would have been better for us."

The Muslims intensified the fighting.

40) Abu 'Ubaydah &> and the governor

When Abu 'Ubaydah 4* found out that the fires of war were blazing at the city, he
sent this message to Sa'id 4*, "Bring the governor quickly to us. He is guaranteed the
safety which you granted him, for we do not renege on our promises."

When the messenger arrived at the building Sa'id 4* appointed a deputy and took the
governor to Abu 'Ubaydah 4>. He stood in front of Abu 'Ubaydah 4>, saw his attire
and the attire of those with him and the intensity of the battle against the city and
began shaking his head and chewing his fingers in frustration.

Abvi 'Ubaydah 4& said to the translator, "Why is he shaking his head and biting his
fingers as if he is regretting something lost?" When the translator asked him, he
answered, "By Christ and by what He annointed! By the Church! By the Altar! I
thought that you were greater in number than pebbles and better equipped. During

222

Part 2: Hims

the battle and the intense violence it had seemed to us that you were as numerous as
pebbles and grains of sand. We saw grey horses mounted by men dressed in green
carrying yellow flags. Now that I have come here I do not see any sign of them
whatsoever. I see that you are in reality quite few in number. What has happened to
your gigantic army? Did you send them away to ' Ayn al-Jawz, Jusiyah or some other
place?"

After hearing this Abu 'Ubaydah * said to the translator, "Say: Woe unto you! We
are Muslims whom Allah increases in the eyes of the Disbelievers and reinforces
with angels just as He did at Badr. In this way Allah has conquered your lands and
forts and humiliated your kings."

This was translated to which the governor replied, "You have trampled Syria when
the Kings of Persia, the Turks and the Jaramiqah were unable to do so. We did not
imagine that this would ever happen. As for our fortified city it is not concerned
about a siege because there is no comparable city in the whole of Syria. Solomon,
son of David, had built it for himself and made it his capital and treasury. Had we not
come out from the city against you, we would never have surrendered nor would we
be in the least frightened of you fighting us even if you had to besiege us for 100
years. Now all that has been lost, so will you offer fair terms of surrender to us for
therein lies benefit for you and us. If we open the gates for you then by Christ and
the True Bible you will not find any other city or fort in all of Syria difficult to
capture."

This was translated to Abu 'Ubaydah 4fr who said to him, "Say: Praise be to Allah
Most High who has made us masters of your lands and homes. You will now have to
pay Jizyah. You deluded yourself with false security until Allah showed you disgrace
and humiliation after honour and power. We will most certainly rule your city, kill
your men and imprison your champions. Whoever fights us is not included in our
pact. There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except through Allah,
the Most High, the Most Mighty."

After this message was given the governor said, "I was certain that Christ was angry
when he sent you to our city and gave you control. I exerted myself in warring
against you and schemed against you, but my exertion and scheming were to no avail
because you are a conquering nation. I only surrendered and placed my hands in
yours after great effort on my part. I do not ask for pity upon myself nor do I ask for
returning my hold over the land, I only desire what is best for the land for God does
not love chaos. Will you please grant safety to the city, all it contains and those men
who were with me?"

223

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah <& : What do you offer in return?

Governor : State whatever you want.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4» '■ Were Allah to grant us the city peacefully filled with gold and
silver, it would still not be worth the blood of one Muslim to me. However, Allah
grants the martyrs more than that in the Hereafter.

Governor : I offer 1000 Uqiyah (122.5 kg) of white silver and 1000 robes of brocade.

41) The treaty

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& smiled and went to the Muslims saying, "Have you heard what this
patrician says?"

Muslims : Yes.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> : What is your opinion on the conditions that he has offered?

Muslims : We accept, but increase his fine.

Abu 'Ubaydah <& returned to him and said, "I will grant you peace on condition of
2000 Uqiyah (244.9 kg) of red gold, 2000 Uqiyah of white silver, 2000 robes of
brocade, 5000 swords of your city and all the weapons of those men besieged at the
building. You will also have to pay the annual land-tax as from next year as well as
the annual Jizyah. You will never again bear arms against us. You will have no
correspondence with foreign powers. You will not start any new insurrection. You
will not erect any new churches. You will always act with goodwill towards the
Muslims."

Governor : I accept all that except that I wish to impose my own condition on you
and your men.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> : What is your condition?

Governor : None of your men may enter the city. Your representative must stay
outside the city to receive the Jizyah and land-tax. You will let me enter the city so
as to placate the people and see to their affairs. We will also establish outside our city
a market for the benefit of your representative. That market will stock all the
different kinds of goods which can be found in our city. Your men may not enter the
city because we fear that they may be rude to our elders thus spoiling relations
between us which will lead to betrayal and breaking of the treaty.

224

Part 2: Hints

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* : Very well, and after the treaty we will also fight your enemies
because we will have become responsible for you. The representative whom we will
leave behind will be like a go-between and ambassador between us.

Governor : But he must remain outside the city where he can do what he wants to.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4t '■ It is agreed because we have no need to enter your city.

Governor : Then agreement has been reached upon these terms.

The governor and Abu 'Ubaydah & headed for the city. When they reached the gate,
the governor uncovered his head and spoke to them in Greek. They recognised him
and asked, "Where are your men?"

He narrated to them what had happened to his men and told them of the treaty. They
wept and said, "Lives have been lost and wealth destroyed."

The governor called out, "O people, by Christ! I have not really made peace. I have
other intentions."

They retorted, "You go and make peace for yourself. As for us we will not spare a
single 'Arab to live and rule over us. None will enter our lands nor will they enter
our city which is the most heavily fortified in all of Syria."

In the meantime Abu 'Ubaydah 4® informed the Muslims of the treaty and ordered
them to cease all attacks against the city. The translator heard what the Ba'labakkis
said and went to inform Abu 'Ubaydah 4s. The governor turned to Abu 'Ubaydah 4»
and said to him, "Now what do you intend. Speak up or we will return to fighting as
before."

Governor : By the True Bible and Jesus Christ! If they do not surrender then I will
enter the city with a large force and place the sword upon them. I will slay their men,
imprison their women and loot their wealth. I can do this for I know all the weak
points and secret roads of the city.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4® : What Allah wills will be done.

42) The Romans pay war indemnity

The Romans who were listening from the wall to what the governor was saying to
Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> were afraid. The governor turned again to the Romans and said,
"What do you say about surrendering to the 'Arabs? I am a prisoner in their hands

225

Futuhushdm

and so are your cousins. If you do not surrender they will kill us all and then come
and get you too."

Ba'labakkis : O Sir, we are not capable of paying the amount they demand.

Governor : Woe unto you! I take responsibility for a quarter of the amount.

They were placated and said, "We allow none but you to enter. No 'Arab may come
with you until we have put away our goods and hidden our women away."

Governor : Woe unto you! I surrendered on the terms that none of them will enter the
city at all. The 'Arab representative and his men will stay outside the city. You will
establish a market for him from which he can purchase.

The Romans were happy and opened the gates for him. He entered and Abu
'Ubaydah -&> sent a message to Sa'id bin Zayd 4b that he should release the besieged
Romans. He lifted the siege and took them to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b. They were disarmed
and kept as hostage until such time as they paid their ransoms because it was feared
that if they were to go to the city they would betray the Muslims. Thus they stayed
with the Muslim army while the governor spent twelve days collecting the ransom in
the city. During that period the Romans sent stores, supplies and fodder to the
Muslims. When the money, robes and weapons were all collected the governor took
them to Abu 'Ubaydah & and said to him, "Take what was agreed upon and leave
the men. Now choose your representative so that we can tell him in your presence
that it is not permissible for him to attack us nor to demand that which we are not
capable of nor will he enter our city."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b called one of the chiefs of Quraysh, Rafi' bin 'Abdillah as-Sahmi
and said, "O Rafi' bin 'Abdillah, I am appointing you over this city and am giving
you 500 horsemen of your tribe and 400 others. I command you to do whatever Allah
has commanded you to do. So fear Allah as He should be feared and rule with
justice. Beware of tyranny and oppression, lest you be resurrected amongst the
tyrants. Bear in mind that Allah will question you about them and take you to task
for whatever you take wrongfully. I have heard Rasulullah iH saying, Verily Allah,
Most Blessed and High revealed unto Musd bin Imrdn, peace be upon him, 'O
Musal Do not oppress my slaves for it will be as if you have destroyed your own
house yourself. '

Establish your camp on the outskirts of the city. Be alert! You are amongst enemies.
I warn you against the people of the coast. Send raiding expeditions against them in
parties of 100 and 200. Do not allow any of the Ba'labakkis to join you for that might

226

Part 2: Hints

lead to enemies getting ideas and attacking you (with their help). Be good to
whoever helps you and command with justice. Be as one with them. Order your men
and companions to refrain from corruption and oppression against the citizens. Allah
is watching you on my behalf. Was-salam 'Alayka."

43) The price of greed

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& intended heading for Hims when the governor of 'Ayn al-Jawz
arrived to offer his surrender. His war-fine was fixed at half that which Ba'labakk had
paid and Salim bin Thuayb as-Sulami was appointed as governor over them. Abu
'Ubaydah <$> advised him as he had advised Rafi' bin 'Abdillah and then departed for
Hims. Midway between ar-Ras and al-Kafilah he met the governor of Jusiyah who
offered many gifts and terms of surrender. He then continued until he reached Hims.

Habban bin Tamim ath-Thaqafi narrates:

I was amongst those who remained behind with Rafi' bin 'Abdillah. We erected tents
of camel hair with pillars outside the city. None of us would enter Ba'labakk. We
continued raiding the coastal Romans and Christian 'Arabs who had not entered into
a treaty with us. After every expedition we would sell our booty to the Ba'labakkis
who were very pleased with our buying and selling and earned an enormous profit in
a short period. They discovered that we are a people who do not deceive or lie or
desire to wrong anybody and thus they were pleased with us.

When their patrician, Herbius, saw the great profit they were making from us and the
low price they were buying at, he gathered them in the Ba'labakk Cathedral which is
today the Jami' Masjid. When they gathered at the appointed time he said to all the
traders, businessmen and marketers, "You know that I have made great effort for
your sake and anxiously desire your well-being, as well as your wives' and children's
welfare. You also know what money I have lost. Today I am but one of you. I
surrendered my wealth and weapons and most of my slaves, men and cousins were
killed, whereas you people have gained so much from the 'Arabs through your trade.
I had to pay a full quarter of the fine all on my own.

Ba 'labakkis : You have spoken the truth. We accept all that you have described, but
what do you want now?

Patrician : I will not trouble you to give me your wealth or of what is in your homes.
However, you can render me a one-tenth share of your trade.

227

Futuhushdm

They were absolutely astounded at this proposal but said, "This man is one of us and
a companion of our Emperor. He made great effort for us and defended our lives and
wealth. Perhaps he deserves a share of our wealth."

They then accepted his proposal of a one-tenth share. He appointed an agent who
collected the one-tenth from them and brought it to him.

When this collection of the one-tenth continued for forty days Herbius saw what a
great amount was accumulating and said, "How much this city is earning; how
profitable the trade is! I have never seen Ba'labakk in this state before."

He gathered them for a second time in the cathedral and said, "O people, you know
how much I spent to pay your indemnity and this one-tenth does not suffice me. If
you consider me to be one of you and wish to compensate my loss then give me now
one-quarter of your trade so that I can swiftly be compensated, otherwise how long
will the mere one-tenth take to compensate me for the loss of my wealth, weapons
and men?" The traders refused and raised a hue and cry. They unsheathed their
weapons and cut his men to shreds in the street, raising a great noise. The Muslims
did not know what was happening and were alarmed at the commotion. They
therefore gathered before the governor, Rafi' bin 'Abdillah as-Sahml and said, "O
commander, do you not hear the noises of these people in the city?"

Rdfi ' : I heard just as you heard. What can I do when it is not permissible for us to
enter the city? That was their condition for surrendering and we are more
responsible to Allah for fulfilling vows. If they come out to us and inform us of what
is happening then we will reconcile between them and see to their welfare.

Rafi' had hardly finished speaking when the Ba'labakkis came rushing to him. They
stood in front of him and said, "We seek God's protection and yours," and informed
him of all that had transpired and what the patrician had done on both occasions.

Rdfi ' : We have no say in this matter.

Ba'labakkis : We have already slain him and all of his men.

The Sahabah 4 were upset at that.

Rdfi. ' : So what do you want now, O people of Ba'labakk?

Ba 'labakkis : We want you to enter the city, for we now permit you to enter.

Rdfi ' : I have no authority to do that unless my commander, Abu 'Ubaydah, permits
me.

228

Part 2: Hims

He then wrote a full report to Abu 'Ubaydah 4t who authorised his entry.

44) Abu 'Ubaydah 's 4b ultimatum

Mfisa bin 'Amir narrates from Yunus bin 'Abdillah who narrates from Salini
bin 'Adi who narrates from his grandfather, 'Abdurahman bin Muslim ar-
Rabi'i who was amongst those who participated in the conquest of Syria from
the beginning to the end:

Allah had conquered Ba'labakk at the hands of the Muslims. Abu 'Ubaydah left Rati'
bin 'Abdillah at Ba'labakk and went to meet up with Khalid bin al-Walid at Hims.
When he came near to az-Zura'ah, which is near Hims, he tied a black flag with
traces of white and gave it to Maysarah bin Masruq al-'Absi, putting him in charge
of the vanguard consisting of 5,000 Muslim horsemen. Upon Maysarah's arrival at
Hims, Khalid «fe came out to meet him and those Muslims with him.

Thereafter Abu 'Ubaydah «fc sent Dirar & with 5,000 cavalry and then sent ' Amr bin
Ma'dikarab ■*>. He himself led the remainder of the army and upon seeing Hims
exclaimed, "O Allah, hasten our victory against her and leave the Disbelievers
without help."

The Muslims all came out to welcome him and those with him.

Abu 'Ubaydah & encamped at the river-bend and then wrote the following letter to
the people of Hims and their new governor, also called Herbius:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : Abu 'Ubaydah, governor of Syria for the Commander of
the Believers, 'Umar bin al-Khattdb, and general of his armies.

Allah has conquered your lands for us. The greatness of your
city should not delude you, nor should the strength of your
buildings or the numbers of your men. Once war comes then
your city is nothing to us except like an earthenware pot which
we will put in the middle of our army and fill with meat. Our
entire army will then eagerly anticipate eating therefrom. We are

229

Futuhushdm

already circling the pot waiting for the meat to be cooked so that
we can eat it.

We call you to that Din which our Rabb, Most Honourable and
Majestic, is pleased with for us. If you accept then we will
depart from you and leave some men behind to teach you the
Din and whatever Allah Most High has ordained upon you. If
Islam is not acceptable to you then we will impose Jizyah upon
you. If you refuse to accept Islam and refuse to pay Jizyah, then
come and battle us until Allah decides the outcome and He is the
best of all deciders.

He folded the letter and gave it to a Disbeliever who was under Muslim rule. He
knew both 'Arabic and Greek. Abu 'Ubaydah 4t> said to him, "Take this to Hims and
return with a reply."

The messenger took it and went until he reached the city walls. The Romans wanted
to shoot arrows and fling rocks at him, so he shouted in Greek, "O people, I am under
the protection of the 'Arabs. I have brought a message to you from them."

They extended a rope down to him which he tied around his waist. They hoisted him
up and took him to the governor. Standing humbly before the governor, he delivered
the letter to him.

Governor : Have you abandoned your faith for that of the 'Arabs?

Messenger : No, but I, my wife and children are under their rule and protection. I
have found them to be very good people. I sincerely advise you not to fight them,
because they are great warriors who do not fear death and do not flee from it. They
are steadfast upon their religion and prefer death to life. They have sworn that they
will not leave your city until either you surrender or God grants them victory. I take
oath in the name of my religion that you are more beloved unto me than them and I
hope that victory will go your way, not theirs, but I really fear for you once they
attack. So surrender to be safe or else you will live to regret your refusal.

230

Part 2: Hims

45) Attack on Hims

These words angered the governor who said, "By Christ! Were you not a messenger
I would have ordered your tongue to be cut off for your audacity against us."

After reading the letter he dictated a reply to his scribe. He began with his utterances
of Disbelief and then said, "O 'Arabs, we have received your letter and understood
its warnings, threats and promises. However, we are not like those whom you met
before us in Syria. Caesar Heraclius himself seeks our help against his enemies and
against those who send armies against him. We now find war against you
unavoidable. Our city walls are impregnable, our gates are iron and our battle
stubborn. Greetings."

He folded the letter and gave it to Abu 'Ubaydah's & messenger, ordering his men
to lower him down the wall with ropes. The messenger returned to Abu 'Ubaydah &
and delivered the letter to him. He tore it open and read it.

When the Muslims heard the contents of the letter they prepared for war. Abu
'Ubaydah 4& divided them into four divisions. One division was sent under al-
Mussayib bin Najiyah al-Fazari to the Mountain Gate which is situated next to the
Small Gate. The second, under al-Mirqal bin Hisham bin 'Uqbah bin 'Abi Waqqas,
proceeded to the Rastan Gate. The third, under Yazid bin Abi Sufyan, went to the
Syria Gate. Abu 'Ubaydah *fe and Khalid <&. took the last group to the Small Gate.

The Muslims launched the assault from all directions. They fought for the
remainder of the day. Both sides showered arrows at each other but the 'Arabs were
able to deflect the Roman arrows with their shields whilst on the other hand, the
Romans suffered much from the 'Arab onslaught. At night-fall both sides retired
from the battle.

46) The second day

The next day Khalid <& ordered all slaves to arm themselves with swords and
shields.They were to attack the city walls with their swords and deflect the arrows
with their shields.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> : And how will this benefit us, O Abu Sulayman?

Khalid 4i> : Please do not oppose me in this. I have resolved to fight them with slaves
to show them that we regard them to be so worthless that we will not even fight them
ourselves unless they themselves come out against us.

231

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah # : Do as you please for Allah Most High guides you.

Khalid 4» then ordered the 4,000 slaves to attack the wall and ordered 1,000 'Arabs
to follow them. They mounted the attack. They struck with their swords and shot
arrows, some of which hit and some of which broke.

The governor of Hims came to the wall. His generals and senior officers,
surrounded him. He observed the Muslim attacks and remarked, "O my generals, by
Christ! I did not think that 'Arabs looked like this. They are all black."

One of those who had escaped from Ajnadayn said, "Sir, these are not 'Arabs but
their slaves. They have sent their slaves to fight us as a strategy to show us that in
their eyes we are not even worth the effort for them to personally fight us."

The governor replied, "By Christ! These people are even more dangerous than the
'Arabs and more firm-footed. Beware. If they should reach the wall its defences will
be of no consideration to them and they will soon gain victory."

The slaves fought intensely for the rest of the day and launched several assaults
against the gates. When night fell they returned to the Muslim camp. The governor
sent a messenger to Abu 'Ubaydah 4% while some fighting continued in the darkness.
When the Muslims sensed him they wanted to kill him. He called out, "I am the
messenger of the patrician Herbius, governor of Hims. I want a reply to this letter."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe took the letter and read it. It read as follows :

'Arabs! We thought that you people had some kind of
intelligence whereby you could plan war tactics and obtain
victory. What a pity that it is not so! On the first day you spread
out against all our gates and so we said, "This will be a severe
siege! We will suffer much! " The next day you sent those poor
little wretches to fight us. All they achieved was to break their
own swords and weapons. Had I only known what great damage
your little swords could do to our walls! It is now clear to us that
you are quite weak-minded and know nothing at all of strategy.

1 therefore give you some advice which will benefit both parties.
You should fight Caesar himself conquering what is ahead of
you just as you had conquered what is behind you. You will

232

Part 2: Hims

avoid troubling us and wronging us for it will only return to you
to kill you. Otherwise we will come out to fight you in the
morning and God will help whoever is on the Truth from
amongst us.

47) 'Ata's <$> scheme

Abu 'Ubaydah <& consulted the Muslims with regards to the letter. A chief of
Khath'am, 'Ata bin 'Amr al-Kath'ami <& was also present. He was advanced in age;
had performed the Migration to al-Madmah at an early stage; was intelligent; and had
led and organised many armies. He sprang to his feet upon hearing the contents of
the letter and said, "Listen to me carefully for what I say will benefit the Muslims.
Allah has always guided what I say."

Abu 'Ubaydah & : Speak, O Ibn 'Amr. We recognise you to be a well-wisher of the
Muslims.

'Ata 4f> went to him and whispered, "May Allah keep the commander in a good state!
These people have had intelligence on your coming long before and their governor
is braver and more cunning than his predecessors. They knew of the conquest of
Ba'labakk and deduced that you would definitely besiege them next. They therefore
stocked up with food, fodder, equipment and men, not leaving behind a scrap of food
in the villages and countryside. They have enough to survive on for years. If we
besiege them it will be protracted just as in the case of Damascus. I believe that you
should trick them with a strategy. If this strategy works we will conquer this city
quickly, if Allah wills."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* : O Ibn 'Amr, what is your strategy?

'Ata & : We should write to them asking them for supplies and fodder in exchange
for us leaving them to conquer other cities. With their supplies thus depleted they will
have to spread out in the cities to trade. That is when we will raid whoever comes out
resulting in their numbers becoming fewer and weaker and a decrease in their
supplies and fodder.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4t> : Your opinion is correct. I will do as you have mentioned and hope
for Allah's guidance and help.

He called for ink and paper and replied to the letter as follows :

233

Futuhusham

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

I see benefit in your proposal for ourselves as well as you. We
do not desire to wrong any of Allah 's slaves. However, you know
that our army, horses and camels are numerous so if you want
us to depart send for us five days 'worth of supplies for you know
that the road ahead of us is quite long and that we will not meet
anything after you except strong forts with iron gates. If you
supply us we will be able to reach one of the Syrian cities. As
you have proposed we will first conquer some other city and
then return. If you do this it will be beneficial to you.

He then folded the letter and gave it to the messenger who delivered it to the
governor. The governor was pleased at the reply and after gathering all his officials
and priests, said, "Know that the 'Arabs have sent a message requesting food and
provisions so that they may depart from you. The 'Arabs are like a beast of prey
which does not leave alone a prey it has found. Hunger has gripped them here and if
we feed them they will leave you alone."

Romans : We fear that the 'Arabs will take the provisions and fodder but will not
leave us.

Governor : We will obtain guarantees and promises that when you order them to
depart they will obey.

Romans : Do what you feel to be correct, but extract from them the guarantees for
you and for us.

The governor then called the priests and monks and ordered them to go to Abu
'Ubaydah <& to obtain his word that the Muslims would leave when ordered to. They
departed via the Rastan Gate. Upon meeting AM 'Ubaydah <& they extracted
promises from him to withdraw when ordered to and not to return until conquering a
city of Syria, be it in the East or West or on the coast or in the mountains. Abu
'Ubaydah 4s> replied, "I am pleased with those terms and conclude the treaty upon
that."

48) Provisions and unexpected results

The people of Hims then took out of their stocks a massive quantity of provisions and
fodder for the Muslims, enough to suffice them for five days. Abu 'Ubaydah <$> went

234

Part 2: Hims

to them and said, "0 people of Hims, we have accepted what you have brought us,
but will you not sell us more?"

"We will certainly do that," replied the Romans.

Abu 'Ubaydah >& then announced to the Muslims, "Buy provisions and fodder and
buy as much as possible, for ahead of you is a long road without provisions."

Muslims : With what will we buy provisions and how will we carry them?

Abu 'Ubaydah <& : Whoever has anything with him of the booty acquired from the
Romans should use it to buy provisions and fodder.

Hassan bin 'Adi al-Ghatfani narrates:

May Allah lighten Abu 'Ubaydah's reckoning on the Day of Judgement just as he
lightened the rugs and velvety carpets which burdened us and our animals. We
exchanged these burdens for provisions and fodder from the people of Hims. The
'Arabs were so liberal in their buying and selling that the Romans would buy
twenty dinar worth of goods for a mere two dinar. The Romans were happy that the
'Arabs were departing and grew greedy for these cheap purchases and so
continuously purchased for three days.

The Romans had spies and informants in the Muslim army. When they saw that Hims
had opened its gates and was supplying the Muslims they thought that Hims had
surrendered. They therefore fled towards Antioch. Whenever they passed through a
Roman city or fort they said, "Hims has peacefully surrendered to the 'Arabs."

Whoever heard this increased in fear and terror and this was a gift from Allah to the
Muslims. There were forty spies of whom three went to Shayzar and spread the news
there.

49) Conquest with crates

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& took the army to ar-Rastan which he found to be heavily fortified
and had an abundant supply of water. The city was filled with men and equipment.
He sent a messenger demanding that they surrender. They refused and said, "We will
not surrender until we see how the matter ends between you and Heraclius.
Thereafter whatever happens, happens with the will of God."

235

Futuhushdm

He responded, "We are going to fight Heraclius. We are many men and are burdened
with much baggage. We therefore want to leave it in trust with you until we return."

They went to their governor, Nikita, to consult him in that matter. He replied, "0
people, kings and armies have always left their goods by us and that has never
harmed us in any way." He then sent this message to Abu 'Ubaydah <&, "We will
fulfil whatever your need is but stipulate that you show full consideration to the
people who reside in our rural districts."

Abu 'Ubaydah •& : We will do that, Allah willing.

Thabit bin Qays bin 'Alqamah narrates:

I was with Abu 'Ubaydah <&• at that time. He called those Sahabah of Rasulullah S
whom he would consult with and said, "This is a strong, impregnable fort. We
cannot conquer it except through some trick. I am sending about twenty of you in
crates which will have the locks inside. Once the twenty are inside the city they will
come out of the crates and attack. Verily they will be victorious against the
Disbelievers who live in the city.

Khdlid 4is : If you have decided that, well and good. However, put fake locks on the
outside to avoid suspicion but the lid should in reality be at the bottom without any
restraints. Once they enter the city they should all spring out and attack together
proclaiming, "Allahu Akbar," for indeed this declaration has a deep connection with
obtaining victory.

Abu 'Ubaydah * accepted this and implemented this plan with crates of food
received from the Romans. The first to enter a crate was Dirar 4» followed by al-
Musayyib bin Najiyah, Thul Kala' al-Himyari, 'Amr bin Ma'dikarab, al-Mirqal,
Hisham bin Najiyah, Qays bin Hubayrah, 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr, Malik bin al-
Ashtar, Awf bin Salim, Sabir bin Kalkal, Mazin bin 'Amir, al-Asyad bin Salamah,
Rabi'ah bin 'Amir, 'Ikra'mah bin Abi Jahl, 'Utbah bin al-'As, Darim bin Fayyad al-
'Absi, Salamah bin Habib, al-Fari' bin Harmalah, Nawfal bin Jar'al, Jundub bin Sayf
and 'Abdullah bin Ja'far who was appointed as commander.

The crates were delivered to the Romans. Once they were brought inside the city,
Nikita had them stored in his palace. Abu 'Ubaydah 4s then left until he reached a
town called, as-Sudiyah. At night- fall he sent Khalid 4&> with the vanguard back to ar-
Rastan to see what had befallen the Sahabah & in the crates. When they reached the
bridge they heard shouts of, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" coming from the city.

236

Part 2: Hints

50) Conquest of ar-Rastan

After Nikita had placed them in the palace he left with his patricians for the chapel
to render thanks for the 'Arabs leaving them without a fight. The Sahabah 4k could
hear them reciting the Bible and emerged from the crates, bracing themselves.
Unsheathing their weapons, they seized Nikita's wife and concubines and said, "We
want the keys to the gates."

When she gave them the keys they raised cries of, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!"
and recited salutations upon Rasulullah S. The Romans were taken by surprise and
did not come out against the Muslims because they were unprepared and unarmed.
Ibn Ja'far 4b sent Rabi'ah bin 'Amir, al-Asyad bin Salamah, 'Ikramah bin Abi Jahl,
'Utbah bin al-'As and al-Fari' bin Harmalah with the keys and said, "Open the gates
and raise your voices with 'La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!' Your Muslim brethren
are completely around the city."

The five went to the nearest gate, the Hims Gate, and opened it with cries of, "La
ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" They found themselves face-to-face with the vanguard
under Khalid & who replied with, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" and entered the
city.

When the Romans heard the shouts of the Sahabah of Rasulullah S they knew that
they had been overcome and that the city was now out of their hands. They came to
the Muslims to surrender saying, "We will not fight you. We are now your
prisoners, so be just unto us for you are more beloved unto us than our own nation."

Khalid 4& presented them with Islam. Many accepted but the majority preferred
paying Jizyah. As for Nikita, he said, "I have no desire to change my religion."

Khalid 4s> : Then leave with your family and tell your nation about our justice.

The Muslims expelled him from the city and he took his family and wealth with him
to Hims, informing the people there of his city's conquest. Anxiety set in and they
feared 'Arab raids against them.

Khalid 4» sent Ibn Ja'far <$> to inform Abu 'Ubaydah 4& of the victory. He fell into
prostration to Allah and sent a force of 1,000 men under Hilal bin Murrah al-
Yushkuri to garrison the city. After the garrisoning, Khalid 4$ and Ibn Jafar #>
departed for Hamah. Shayzar had also surrendered, but upon the patrician's death
Heraclius quickly appointed a new governor, Niks, a tyrant who severely oppressed
the Shayzaris and cancelled the treaty. He made life difficult for them, confiscated

237

Futuhushdm

their wealth and paid no attention to their needs, being too absorbed in his eating and
drinking.

51) Rebellion in Shayzar

When AM 'Ubaydah <& was informed of this he despatched a squadron of horsemen
who raided Shayzar. A great tumult resulted. The governor came out of the fort and
gathered all the leaders in the cathedral and said, "O people of Shayzar, you know
that Caesar has appointed me over you to protect your city, wealth and women folk."
He then opened the armoury and distributed the contents amongst them, ordering
them to fight. In the meanwhile KMlid 4fe suddenly appeared with the vanguard
followed by Yazid bin Abi Sufyan «fc and then Abu 'Ubaydah & with the rest of the
army. The Romans were terrified and bewildered.

When Abu 'Ubaydah 4& saw them in this state he wrote the following letter :

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

O people of Shayzar! Your fort is no stronger than Ba'labakk
nor ar-Rastan, nor are your men any braver. Once you have
read my letter you should immediately surrender or else a great
calamity will afflict you. You are already aware of our justice
and good character so become like the other cities under our
rule and surrender just as the rest of Syria has. Was-saldm.

He folded the letter and gave it to one of the subject Disbelievers to deliver it to them.
Once it was delivered and read to the governor he said, "What do you say, O people
of Shayzar, with regard to what the 'Arabs say?"

Shayzaris : O great patrician, the 'Arabs have spoken the truth. Our fort is not
stronger than ar-Rastan, Ba'labakk, Damascus or Busra. You are well acquainted
with the strength of Hims and the singular bravery, yet even they had to reach an
agreement with the 'Arabs. So have the Palestinians and Jordanians with all their
strongholds. So how can our little fort of Shayzar resist them? If you oppose the
'Arabs then you will be the cause of our destruction and our city's ruin.

They began a heated debate wherein Niks began to swear at the Shayzaris and then
ordered his men to beat them up. This infuriated them. They drew their weapons and

238

Part 2: Hims

attacked him and his men. The Muslims became aware of this battle ensuing between
the two Roman parties and said, "O Allah, let them destroy themselves."

Eventually the citizens gained victory over their enemies and killed every one of
them. They then deputed some unarmed men to meet Abu 'Ubaydah «&. Standing in
front of him, they greeted him and said, "O commander, we have killed our patrician
out of love for you."

Abu 'Ubaydah * : O people of Shayzar, may Allah whiten your faces and shower
your sustenance upon you. You have sufficed us for battle.

He then turned to the Muslims and said, "Do you not see how obedient these Romans
are, what they did to their governor out of love for you and how they willingly come
to obey you? I believe that some kind of reward is due to them."

Muslims : Yes, and how you treat them will spread to other places which might help
our conquests if Allah wills.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> : Glad tidings, O people of Shayzar. Whoever wishes to enter our
Din without being forced to will receive the same rights and duties as we have and
will be exempt from land-tax for two years. Whoever remains on his old religion will
be exempt from land-tax for a full year but will still pay Jizyah.

Shazaris (overjoyed) : O commander, we hear and obey. This is the palace of the
patrician to which you are more entitled than him. We give it to you as a gift
together with all the slaves, vessels and wealth it contains.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& took out the one-fifth share due to the State, divided the rest
equally amongst the Muslims and said, "O Muslims, Allah has conquered this city
through you easily and effortlessly. On the other hand, Hims is rebellious towards
you although you have fulfilled your obligations to them. So now let us go against
them. May Allah have mercy upon you."

52) The great Christian coalition

The Muslims mounted their horses intending to go, when they saw a cloud of dust
rising from behind the river bend coming from the direction of the Antioch road and
was widely spread out. The Muslims rushed towards it and found a high-ranking
Roman cleric with 100 loaded Turkish horses and 100 guards. He did not know about
the coming of the Muslims.

239

Futuhushdm

Khalid &> called out, "Allahu Akbar!" and the Muslims charged and surrounded
them. They took the Christians prisoner and seized the Turkish horses. Khalid *
went to the priest and said, "Woe unto you! From where have you brought this?"

The priest babbled something in Greek which Khalid » did not understand. A
Shayzari came and said, "O commander, he says that he is a senior cleric of Heraclius
who sent him with this consignment to Herbius. These goods consist of red brocade
woven with gold and ten loads of dinar and the rest is either robes or dinar."

The Muslims took the goods as booty which was of such a quantity that they had not
obtained before.

Khalid 4b took the booty to Abu 'Ubaydah 4* at Shayzar's river-bend. He was
wrapped up in a cotton cloak and had his head similarly covered to protect himself
from the heat of the sun. Khalid 4» made the priest stand in front of Abu 'Ubaydah
4a who asked, "What is this, O Abu Sulayman?"

Khalid & : They have brought gifts from Antioch from Heraclius to Herbius,
governor of Hims.

He presented Abu 'Ubaydah & with the booty. He was very pleased and exclaimed,
"O Abu Sulayman, the conquest of Shayzar has resulted in many blessings." He then
asked the translator who was constantly with him, "Ask them about the tyrant,
Heraclius Caesar. Has he gathered a large army around him or not?"

The translator and the priest spoke for a while. The priest said, "Tell your commander
that Caesar has been informed of your conquests of Damascus, Ba'labakk and
Jusiyah and that you have not yet overcome Hims. He therefore sent me with these
gifts for Herbius, governor of Hims and ordered him to resist you for he is sending
reinforcements to him. Caesar had requested reinforcements from all who worship
the Cross and read the Bible. He has received positive responses from the Romans,
Slavs, Franks, Armenians, Mongols, the Georgians, the Duqas, Greeks, the 'Alf, the
Gharanah, Italians and whoever carries the cross. These armies have already reached
Heraclius from every direction."

When this was translated for Abu 'Ubaydah 4* he became anxious, but still offered
the priest Islam. The priest told the translator, "Tell him that last night I saw
Rasulullah $ in a dream and have already embraced Islam at his hands." Abu
'Ubaydah 4» was delighted and offered the guards Islam. Upon their refusal he had
them beheaded.

240

Part 2: Hints

53) Return to Hims

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* then headed for Hims. A detachment of cavalry formed his
vanguard. They began raiding the Romans of Hims who fled to the city, locked the
gates and said, "By Christ! The 'Arabs have deceived us." The Muslims sealed Hims
off from all directions. Her provisions had been spent and most of the inhabitants had
gone to trade and to acquire provisions and were thus spread out in the lands.

Upon reaching Hims, Abu 'Ubaydah 4» ordered the slaves and freed-slaves to spread
out in all the roads and check-points, and said to them, "Bring me whoever you find
returning to Hims with provisions or merchandise." They obeyed him and this made
life difficult for Herbius. He therefore wrote the following letter to Abu 'Ubaydah <&:

"O 'Arabs! We did not know that you are deceptive and break your word. Did
you not agree to leave us in exchange for provisions? You then sought to
trade with us which we happily agreed to, so why have you now broken our
agreement? "

Abu 'Ubaydah * wrote back:

"I want you to send to me those priests and monks you had previously sent
so that I can establish what terms I agreed to and then they can prove to you
that we had not deceived you nor had we broken our word, for people like us
do not do that, Allah willing. "

After reading the letter, Herbius sent the priests and monks to Abu 'Ubaydah <&.
They greeted him and sat down in front of him.

Abu 'Ubaydah & : Do you not know that I had made an agreement with you and
promised to leave you until I conquer one of the cities of Syria, be it on the coast or
in the mountains? Thereafter I would have a choice of whether I want to return to you
or go elsewhere.

Romans : By Christ! Certainly.

Abu 'Ubaydah &> : Allah has conquered for us ar-Rastan and Shayzar in the shortest
span of time. He has granted us the booty of the patrician Niks and more besides that
which we could not have hoped to acquire in such a short while. So now you have
no promise to hold against us and there is no longer any peace except that you
surrender your city and accept our rule and protection.

241

Futuhushdm

Romans : You have spoken the truth. There is no blame against you. We have heard
of your conquests and the fault lies with us for making such an agreement in the first
place. The matter now rests with our governor to whom we shall report.

They then returned to Hims. Abu 'Ubaydah .&> called his warriors and said, "Get your
gear for these people are without any provision and cannot receive immediate help
from Heraclius. So seek help from Allah and place your reliance on Him."

The Muslims collected their weapons and gear and returned to the gates and walls of
Hims.

54) Hims resists

The Romans went to the governor and said, "What should we do about the 'Arabs?"

Governor : We should fight them and should not show them any weakness.

Romans : Our provisions are gone. They took them. We have never heard of such a
trick before.

Governor : Why are you acting so helpless towards them? They have not killed or
wounded a single one of you. Besides their raids, no difficulty or hunger has
afflicted you. Even if they should reach the city they will not be able to overcome
you. A few men on the wall will be able to hold them off for you. As for provisions
I have enough in my palace to support many of you for a long period. Caesar will not
neglect you. News of your condition will soon reach him and he will despatch armies
to help you.

The governor had an enormous pit in his palace filled with food. He began
distributing it to them all, high or low, for the remainder of the day and so they
calmed down. All the people of Hims were in straitened conditions so half of the
stock was distributed on the first day. The governor then said, "Be satisfied for three
days with what I have given you and go and fight your enemy." When they got their
battle-gear he selected 5,000 unequalled descendants of al-Zarawiz and al-'Amaliqah
including 1,000 of the royal Madbajah family. He opened the armoury of his
grandfather, Sergius, and distributed armour, shields, helmets, head-gear, bows,
arrows and spears. He encouraged them to fight and promised them reinforcements
from Heraclius. He then called the priests and monks and said to them, "Make your
preparations and pray unto Christ to help us against the 'Arabs. There is no barrier
against your supplications, nor will you be rejected." They entered the Great
Cathedral of Sergius - which is today the Jami' Masjid - and began singing psalms,

242

Part 2: Hints

shedding tears and uttering their words of Disbelief. In that manner they spent the
whole night.

In the morning the governor entered the Cathedral and performed the sacrifice and
Prayer of the Dead. He returned to his palace where he was presented with roast pork.
He ate all of it then drank wine from a gold and silver vessel until his eyes turned in
his skull. He then dressed in brocade with fur trimmed edges. Thereafter he put on
small double chain-mail. On top of that he donned armour made of red gold and hung
a cross studded with sapphire around his neck and an Indian sword at his waist. A
huge mountainous-like stallion was brought. He mounted it and left his palace,
heading for Rastan Gate. His men came and surrounded him from all sides.

55) Battle of Hims

The gates of Hims were opened and the Romans emerged with all their numbers,
equipment, flags and crosses. In front of Herbius were 5,000 horsemen wearing
layered chain-mail. He arranged them in rows in front of the city as if they were an
iron wall or a solid rock. They were ready to die and give up their wealth and
children.

The Muslims advanced like a swarm of locusts and launched a heavy attack against
them, but they stayed firm like rocks, not moving and not bothering with what befell
them. The governor then shouted out so they advanced, shouting at each other. The
Muslims mounted their horses, attacked and shot arrows at them. The two armies
became intertwined, fighting most intensely. The Muslims turned back in defeat with
many dead or wounded.

Abu 'Ubaydah & was grieved to see the Muslims being defeated and called out, "O
children of the Quran, return! Return! May Allah bless you." The Muslims returned
to fight and attacked the Christians most violently. Khalid * led a large contingent
of Banu Makhzum in an attack in which they hacked the enemy with swords and
pierced them with spears, grinding them like wheat is ground into flour. The Muslims
thus worked their swords amongst the Romans.

Ibn Masruq al-'Absi led his tribe, Banu 'Abs, in an attack, all the while reciting, "La
ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" They beat the Romans so badly that they began
retreating to the wall after suffering many deaths. There they began babbling in
Greek and returned once again against the Muslims. They surrounded the Muslims
from all sides and shot arrows at them and pierced them with spears. The Muslims
were in grave danger.

243

Futuhusham

When Khalid <&, who was the flag-bearer at the Battle of Hims saw this, he charged
ahead with the flag and called out to his men, "Intensify your attacks against them.
May Allah bless you. Herein lies benefit for your world and your hereafter." While
Khalid 4$ was encouraging his men, a high-ranking general with formidable upper-
body armour attacked him, roaring like a lion. Khalid * aimed his sword at the
general's head but hit his helmet instead. His blade snapped off and went flying in
the air leaving Khalid <& holding a mere handle. The Roman saw this and entertained
hopes against him. They tackled each other, shoulder-to-shoulder and arm-to-arm
until Khalid 4fc began hugging his chest and then squeezed with all his might until he
snapped the Roman's ribs and twisted them into each other. He then flung him down
dead. Taking the Roman's sword, he cut off his head and waved the sword until
sparks flew and put the head on his saddle bow. Then shouting at Banu Makhzum,
he led them in another heavy attack at the Roman centre, scattering them left and
right and loudly saying, "I am the valiant horseman Khalid bin al-Walid, the Sahabi
of Rasulullah ®."

The battle continued with unequalled intensity until midday. Khalid's <$> armour
grew too hot for him so he withdrew from the battle. Banu Makhzum followed him.
Blood filled their armour and flowed over their arms until it appeared purple. Khalid
4b, at the front, recited this poem:

Woe to the hordes of Rome on the day of fighting

Indeed I see war in it blazing.

How many times have they met from us occasions of exhaution

How many times have I left the Romans in destruction.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe called out, "Praise be to Allah, O Abu Sulayman, praise be to
Allah! You have waged Jihad for the sake of Allah as it should be waged."

56) Martyrdom of Ikramah 4fc

Al-Mirqal bin HisMm noticed some negligence on the part of the Romans. He called
out to Banu Zuhrah and attacked the Roman right flank while Maysarah bin Masrftq
al-'Absi took Banu 'Abs to fight their left flank. 'Ikramah bin Abi Jahl * together

244

Part 2: Hints

with a large group of Banfl Makhzum attacked the Romans. The other Muslims, now
convinced of victory, also attacked .

None fought more fiercely and violently at the Battle of Hims than Banu Makhzum.
Amongst them 'Ikramah bin 'Abi Jahl # fought most fiercely and led the attack. He
took on many Romans all on his own. Someone said to him, "Fear Allah and have
compassion on yourself."

'Ikramah 4» responded, "O people, I used to fight on behalf of idols whereas today I
am fighting in obedience to the All-Knowing King. I already see the virgin damsels
of Paradise desiring me. Were one of them to appear before the people of the world
they would no longer need the sun and moon. Rasulullah ft was indeed true in what
he promised us."

He then unsheathed his sword and plunged into the Romans continuously
penetrating into their ranks until they were utterly bewildered at his steadfastness and
fighting prowess. The governor himself came to fight him. In his hand he carried a
huge glittering spear which he brandished in his hand and thrust into'Ikramah's 4»
heart until it penetrated right out of his back. He collapsed on the ground and Allah
hastened his soul to Paradise. When Khalid 4s> saw his cousin in that state he rushed
to him. Standing over him he wept, saying, "If only 'Umar bin al-Khattab could see
my cousin lying like this he would know that we mount spear-points like other
people mount horses."

The terrifying scenes of the battle continued until night-fall. The Romans then
returned to Hims, locked the gates and kept watch from the city walls. The Muslims
returned to their camp and also kept watch.

57) Khalid's * plan

In the morning Abu 'Ubaydah 4& called out, "O Muslims, what is stopping you from
going against these people? You had hopes of defeating them but they defeated you
and you fear them. Allah had given you great ease and peace and made you
victorious against the generals of Rome and conquered forts and castles for you.
What is this weakness now? Beware! Allah is watching you."

Khalid <&> '■ These Roman horsemen are the strongest of warriors. There are no lowly
ones or cowards amongst them. You also know that they are more inspired to defend
their children and women.

245

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah 4lb : Then what is your view, Abu Sulayman? May Allah have mercy
on you.

Khdlid * : We should withdraw from here leaving our sheep and camels behind.
They will certainly come after us, but once we are far from their city we can stab with
spears all those who have come to chase us and hack their backs with swords for they
will be far away from the safety of their city.

Abu 'Ubaydah $> : You have given a good suggestion, O Abu Sulayman.

It was established amongst the Muslims that they would retreat and leave behind
their animals. The Romans came pouring out of all the gates of Hims looking
forward to the battle. The 'Arabs asked for a cease-fire and pretended to be weak and
afraid. The Roman hopes grew and they refrained from attacking until later in the
morning when the sun was fully out, thinking it to be a good time to attack. The
'Arabs retreated leaving behind their sheep.

Nawfal bin 'Amir narrates from ' Artajah bin Majid at-Tamimi who narrates
from Suraqah an-Nakha'i who had participated in the Battle of Hims:

The governor and his 5,000 elite warriors pursued the retreating 'Arabs. We retreated
as if we were fleeing for az-Zura'ah and Jusiyah. The governor reached us, but some
of his men had gone, distracted by our goods which we had left behind.

There lived in Hims an aged priest .The Romans greatly respected him. He was very
experienced in worldly matters and knew all about trickery and deception. He was a
scholar of the Torah, the Bible, the Psalms of David (Dawud SBSS)> the Psalms of
Solomon (Sulayman 3S8I), the Scriptures of Abraham (Ibrahim 8S§t) and the Scriptures
of Seth (Shith S@). He had even been blessed with meeting disciples of Jesus son of
Mary (Tsa *S). When he saw the 'Arabs retreating and the Romans seizing their
goods, he shouted out, "By Christ! It is a trick, a deception, a scheme of the 'Arabs.
'Arabs will never abandon their children and camels even if it means that they will
be killed to the last man."

The priest screamed while the Romans plundered, not bothering about anything
except the looted goods and food.

The governor and his 5,000 men were in the meantime pressing on with the chase.
Once the Romans were quite far from Hims Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> shouted, "Attack the
Romans like beasts of prey and hunting eagles."

246

Part 2: Hims

The Muslims turned back as one man and surrounded the governor and his men on
all sides. Their encirclement was so complete as the white of the eye surrounds the
pupil. The Romans were now like a black dot on a white ox and began firing their
arrows at the Muslims. The Muslims pounced on them like hunting lions and
swooped upon them like eagles. They began hacking at them with their swords right
and left until the majority of Romans lay dead.

58) The governor is killed

'Atiyah bin Fihr az-Zubaydi narrates:

When the Romans saw what we were doing to them, they assailed us. As the battle
heated Khalid 4» appeared in the middle of the army mounted on a reddish horse and
wearing golden armour which the governor of Ba'labakk had gifted to him the day
Ba'labakk was conquered. He was also wearing the red turban which he always wore
in battle. Roaring like a lion he brandished his sword until sparks flew and shouted,
"May Allah have mercy on that man whose sword is naked, whose resolution is
strong and who fights his enemies." The Muslims responded by unsheathing their
swords and violently assaulting the enemy.

Abu 'Ubaydah *&> called out, "O sons of 'Arabs, defend your women, Din and wealth.
Allah is watching you and is your Helper against your enemy." Mu'ath bin Jabal 4*
had separated with 500 men returning to the abandoned camp. The looting Christians
were so busy carrying off provisions, baggage and goods that they did not perceive
the coming of the Muslims and before they knew it were being pierced with spears
like tongues of a kindled fire. The announcer called out, "O 'Arab youth, get to the
gate before they get away with our goods and children!"

The Romans were weighed down with their plunder but once they saw Mu'ath •&
attacking them they threw down everything in order to escape. Some were killed and
others escaped.

Suhayb bin Sayf al-Fazari narrates:

By Allah! Only about 100 horsemen out of the 5,000 with the governor of Hims
managed to escape us. We chased the enemy to the gates and when we massacred
them that was the greatest disaster to befall Hims because most of the refugees from
al-' Awasim and other places were inside the city (so those killed at the gates would
be people of Hims - translator's note).

247

Futuhushdm

Sa'fd bin Zayd narrates:

I participated in the Battle of Hims and was fond of keeping track of death-tolls. I
counted 5,060 dead besides wounded and prisoners. I went to Abu 'Ubaydah and
said, "Good news! I have counted 5,060 dead besides wounded and prisoners."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : That is indeed good news. Do you have any news on whether the
governor has been killed?

Sa 'id 4i> : I killed him.

Abu 'Ubaydah <*>: How do you know that it was him whom you killed?

Sa '&& : I saw a heavily-built, obese, tall, reddish-coloured horseman with a sword
in his hand. He was wearing upper-body armour and also had a spear. He was in the
centre of the Romans and bellowed like a camel. I attacked him saying, "O Allah, I
put Your power ahead of mine and Your conquering ahead of mine. O Allah, grant
his slaying to be at my hands and grant me its reward."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : Did you loot his corpse?

Sa 'id 4b : No, but my sign is in him - an arrow from my quiver which I shot into his
heart. He then fell off his horse and his men fled. I went to him and cut him in the
groin with my sword and left the arrow in his heart.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : O Muslims, go and get what is on his corpse and give it to Sa'id.
May Allah have mercy on you.

They obeyed him.

59) Hims surrenders

Upon the termination of the battle the Muslims gathered all the booty, armour and
Turkish horses and presented it to Abu 'Ubaydah £>, He took out the state's one-fifth
share and divided the rest amongst the Mujahidin. The people of Hims mourned their
dead, filling the city with shouts and wails. Their elders and leaders gathered in the
cathedral and discussed with the priests and monks whether they should surrender or
not.

The priests and leaders set out to meet Abu 'Ubaydah <ft> and surrendered. Abu
'Ubaydah 4b granted them indemnity and said, "I will not enter your city until we see
the outcome between us and Heraclius." The Romans offered to entertain the

248

Part 2: Hims

Muslims in the city, but Abu 'Ubaydah <& forbade them and not a single Muslim
entered Hims until after the Battle of al-Yarmuk. Such conduct of justice and good
character drew the Roman populace closer to the Muslims.

Jarir bin Awf narrates from Humayd at-Tawil who narrates from Sinan ar-
Rashid al-Yarbu'i who narrates from Salamah bin Jurayj who narrates from
an-Najjar who is knowledgable on the conquests of Syria:

After the people of Hims surrendered to us following the killing of Herbius they went
out to bury their dead. We also began searching for the martyrs from amongst the
Sahabah of Rasulullah and found them to be 235 horsemen. All of them were from
Himyar and Hamdan except thirty Makkis, including 'Ikramah bin Abi Jahl, Sabir
bin Jari, ar-Rayyis bin 'Aqil, Marwan bin 'Amir as-Sulami - who was the son of the
paternal uncle of al-' Abbas, Jamh bin Qudum and Jabir bin Khuwaylid ar-Raba'i.

249

(Part 3

M- Varmu^

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Contents

1 . The Christian armies arrive in Syria

2. The secret of success

3. Heraclius appoints his generals

4. Narrations on the number of Romans

5. Abu 'Ubaydah 4& is informed

6. Sahabah s&= consult

7. March on al- Yarmuk

8. Arrival at al- Yarmuk

9. Negotiations

10. Khalid 4& sends a delegation to Jabalah

1 1 . Jabalah and the Ansar

12. KMlid's 4&> audacious plan

13. The sixty

14. The sixty set out

15. Jabalah and Khalid 4s>

1 6. One against a thousand

17. Missing in action

18. Abu 'Ubaydah <& requests reinforcements

19. 'Umar's ^ response

20. Status of 'Umar 4&

2 1 . Seven day journey in three days

22. Sa'id bin 'Amir and his army

23. Sa'id's dream

253

Futuhushdm

24. Capture of al- Jinan

25. The dream fulfilled

26. Bannes's scheme

27. Allah's mat

28. Bannes's drivel

29. No brotherhood with Christians

30. Khalid * responds to Bannes

3 1 . Why this book was compiled

32. The prisoners are released

33. The Muslims prepare for battle

34. The two sides mobilise

35. Romanus and the patrician

36. Qays and the patrician

37. 'Abdurahman <&> and the patrician

38. The patrician's dream

39. The first martyrs

40. The women of Jannah are calling me

4 1 . The good character of the Romans

42. Bannes writes to Heraclius

43. A spy in the Muslim camp

44. Allah's secret intelligence service

45. Men and women

46. The advice

47. Convey my salam to Rasulullah ill

48. The Battle of al-Yarmuk begins in earnest

254

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

49. Bravery of the women

50. Trajan is killed

5 1 . Women to the rescue - again

52. Martyrdom of 'Amir bin at-Tufayl <sfe

53. Martyrdom of Jundub bin 'Amir

54. The battle-cries and numbers of the Muslims
5 5 . Another day of battle

56. Bravery of az-Zubayr <&>

57. The giant

58. The prince of Lan

59. The day of losing one eye

60. Once again... women to the rescue ;j

■a

6 1 . Najm bin Mafrah and his eloquence

62. The hair ofRasulullahS i

63. Drowning of the Roman army

64. George is killed

65. Sergius seeks revenge

66. Bannes comes out to fight

67. The great victory

68. Glad-tidings

69. Disputes over the booty

255

Part 3:

Yarmuk

1) The Christian armies arrive in Syria

Heraclius could hardly breathe out of shock when he heard that the Muslims had
conquered Hims, ar-Rastan and Shayzar and had seized all the gifts he had sent for
Herbius. He now awaited the arrival of the armies from the ends of the Roman
Empire. He had written to all Christians asking them to come to his aid. Within a
short while they started arriving. So numerous were they that the vanguard was with
him at Antioch while the rear stretched out to Great Rumiyah. He sent an army to
Caesarea on the Syrian coast to defend Acre and Tiberias. He sent another to Baytul
Muqaddas while he awaited the arrival of the army of Bannes, King of Armenia.

Bannes had raised an army in Armenia which surpassed all that which the other
nations of the Empire had gathered. Bannes arrived with all his officials to meet
Heraclius. When they neared the town they dismounted and went on foot out of
respect for Heraclius.They began uttering words of Disbelief, weeping and mourning
over the territories lost to the Muslims.

Heraclius stopped them and said, "O followers of Christianity, O sons of Holy Water,
I had warned you about these 'Arabs but none of you accepted my words. By Christ!
By the True Bible! By the Communion! By the Baptism! These 'Arabs will definitely
rule the ground beneath my throne! Crying is inappropriate except for women. Such
an army has gathered which no king on the face of the Earth can oppose. I have spent
my wealth and manpower to defend you, your religion and your women. Repent unto
Christ for all your sins. Do only good unto our subjects and do not oppress them. Be
patient in battle and do not fight each other. Beware of vanity and jealousy for when
these two qualities descend upon a nation they end up helpless (against their
enemies). I now have a question to which you must respond."

So the Roman leaders and princes said, "Ask whatever you want to, O Caesar."

Heraclius : You are today better equipped and have more support than the 'Arabs.
You have more men and tents and power than them. So why is it that you are being
defeated whereas the Persians, Turks and Jaramiqah feared your fighting powers.

257

Futuhusham

Every time they come against you they returned defeated. Now, the 'Arabs have
defeated you although they are the weakest of all creation.

Their bodies are naked and their stomachs hungry. They have neither gear nor
weapons. Yet they still defeated you at Busra, Hawran, Ajnadayn, Damascus,
Ba'labakk and Hims.

2) The Secret of Success

The Romans all remained speechless. Eventually an old priest who was deeply
learned in Christianity stood up and said, "O Caesar, do you know why the 'Arabs
have been able to conquer?"

Heraclius : By Christ, no.

Priest : O Caesar, because our nation has changed its religion and has innovated it.
They dispute about Jesus Christ and oppress one another. There are none amongst
them who order the good and forbid the bad. There is no trace amongst them of
justice, goodness and obedience. They ruin the times of prayer, consume interest,
fornicate and commit adultery. Every sin and shameless act has become common
amongst them. On the other hand, these 'Arabs obey their Lord and follow their
religion. They worship at night and fast during the day. They never fail to remember
their Lord nor to convey salutations upon their Prophet. Oppression and
transgression is not to be found amongst them. They are not arrogant against each
other. They distinguish themselves with their honesty and absorb themselves in
worship. If they attack us they do not leave. If we attack them they do not flee. They
know that this world is only temporary and that the life to come is eternal.

Heraclius : By Christ! You have spoken the truth. Most certainly this is why the
'Arabs are victorious against us. When our people behave as you have described then
what argument do we have against their victories? I have now resolved to send these
armies back to their homelands and I will take my family and wealth and go to
Constantinople, for there I will be safe from the 'Arabs.

Romans (standing in rows before him) : O Caesar, do not do this. Do not abandon the
religion of Christ for he will take you to task for that on the Day of Judgement. All
the kings will mock you and take you to be weak. Our enemies will be so delighted
that you have left the Paradise of Syria to be inhabited by the 'Arabs after us. Such
an army has been gathered here for us the like of which has never been gathered for
any other king in the world. We will confront the 'Arabs and persevere in fighting

258

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

them. Perhaps Christ will help us against them. Be resolute and appoint whom you
will and leave us to fight the 'Arabs.

3) Heraclius appoints his generals

Heraclius was happy with their reply and resolved to send the army with five
different kings of the Empire. He called for a brocade flag woven with red gold at the
top of which was a jewelled cross. He gave it to Canter, King of North Europe, and
put him in charge of 100,000 slaves and other horsemen. He also granted him a robe
of honour, crown, belt and arm-band.

(Translator 's note: Names of Greeks and foreign nations and places have proven very
difficult to translate and have often been left in the 'Arabic form. The Rus were
ancient Vikings, not the Russians of today but the Vikings were not Christian at that
time, so I have translated "Rusiyah " as "Northern Europe. ")

The second flag was of white brocade with a golden sun embroidered in the middle.
At the tip of the flag was a cross made of emerald. He gave it to George, governor of
Amorium and Malurfyah. He also granted him a robe, arm-belt and belt and put him
in command of 100,000 horsemen of all the different nations of the Empire. The third
flag was of coloured "dastari" cloth with a picture of a gold cross on it. It was
handed over to Trajan, governor of Constantinople, and he was charged with over
100,000 Mongols, Franks and the Qaln. He was also given a robe, belt and bracelet.
The fourth flag was of black brocade. Heraclius gave it to Theodorus and appointed
him over another 100,000 of the Mongols and Armenians. The fifth flag was studded
with pearls and jewels. Its handle was of gold with a ruby cross on top. Heraclius
handed this over to Bannes, King of Armenia, whom he dearly loved because of his
bravery and cunning. He had fought the Persians and the Turks many times and had
always defeated them. Upon giving him the flag Heraclius took off the robe he was
wearing and gave it to him with a belt, arm-belt, crown and a chain which was only
permissible for the Emperors to wear.

Heraclius then said, "O Bannes, I appoint you commander-in-chief of the entire
army. Your word and order will reign supreme."

Then he turned to the first four and said, "Your Crosses are under his Cross. He has
full authority over you, so do not do anything without his consultation. Seek out the
'Arabs wherever they may be and do not be weak-hearted. Defend your ancient faith
and just divine laws. Spread out and take four separate roads for if you all go together
the land will not be able to sustain such a huge army and you will destroy the land

259

Futuhushdm

and whoever is in it." He then bestowed a robe on Jabalah bin al-Ayham al-Ghassani
and appointed him over the Christian 'Arabs of Ghassan, Lakhm and Jutham. He said
to him, "You 'Arabs will form the vanguard, for it takes like to destroy like. Only
iron cuts iron."

He then ordered the priests to throw Holy Water over them, recite the Bible and pray
the Death Prayer over them.

4) Narrations on the number of Romans

Nawfal bin ' Adi narrates from Suraqah bin Khalid £> who narrates from Qasim
- the freed slave of Hisham bin 'Amr bin 'Utbah - who had participated in all
the Syrian conquests:

The total number which Heraclius dispatched to al-Yarmuk was 600,000. These were
from all the different nations who worship the Cross.

Jarir bin 'Abdillah narrates from Yunus bin 'Abdil A'la:

The total sent to al-Yarmuk, excluding the Antioch army, numbered 700,000
horsemen.

Rashid bin Sa'id al-Himyari narrates:

I participated in the Battle of al-Yarmuk from the beginning to the end. When the
Roman armies arrived, I climbed up an elevation and counted twenty flags. Once the
Romans encamped, Abu 'Ubaydah *fe> sent Romanus, the governor of Busra, to
ascertain their numbers. He disguised himself and was absent from us one day and
night before returning to us. When we saw him we gathered around him while Abu
'Ubaydah & questioned him.

Romanus : I have heard them saying that they number one million, but I do not know
if they were just saying that so that any spy overhearing them would convey
incorrect information.

Abu 'Ubaydah & '■ How many men do you estimate to be under each banner?
Romanus : I estimate that there are 50,000 horsemen under each banner.
Abu 'Ubaydah 4h : Allahu Akbar! Receive glad-tidings of Allah's help.

260

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

How many a small group defeated a huge force with Allah s
leave? And Allah is with the patient ones. [2:249]

5) Abu 'Ubaydah & is informed

Having appointed the King of Armenia as commander-in-chief of the armies and
instructed him to fight the Muslims, Heraclius mounted his horse. The Romans then
mounted their horses and blew their trumpets. Heraclius went out of the Persia Gate,
following and advising the army. He said to the four generals, "Each of you should
take a separate road and each of you will separately command his army. Once you
meet the 'Arabs then Bannes is in supreme command. Realise that this is the one and
only golden opportunity against them. If they defeat you they will not be satisfied
with only these lands, but will pursue you wherever you go. They will not be
satisfied with only wealth without taking your lives. They will enslave your women
and children. So be patient in battle and aid your faith and the divine law."

Canter was sent via the Jabalah and al-Lathiqiyah road; George via the road of Great
Jadah which is in 'Iraq; Theodoras via the Aleppo and Hamah Road and Trajan via
al-' Awasim. Bannes followed with his army and sent men ahead of him to smooth
the road and remove the stones. Jabalah headed Bannes's vanguard, consisting of the
Christian 'Arabs of Ghassan, Lakhm and Jutham. The Romans oppressed every town
and city they passed through, demanding fodder and accommodation which the
people were unable to present. The people cursed the soldiers, "May God not return
you safely."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& had spies in the Roman army at the time the tyrant Heraclius
despatched his forces against the Muslims. These spies were from the Disbelievers
under Muslim rule and would supply Abu 'Ubaydah & with information. When the
Romans reached Shayzar, the spies separated themselves and made for the Muslim
camp at Hims. They found nobody there and upon enquiry were told that Abu
'Ubaydah 4& had departed leaving local leaders to collect the land-tax. The spies
continued their travels until they met Abu 'Ubaydah * at al-Jabiyah where they
informed him of the superiority of the Christian army. He was shocked and said,

261

Futuhushdm

"There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except through Allah, the
Most High, the Most Mighty."

He anxiously spent the night not closing an eye out of fear of what would happen to
the Muslims. At dawn the athan was proclaimed and he led the Muslims in Salatul
Fajr. After the Salah he made the Muslims promise not to leave until they had heard
what he had to say. He then stood up to address them. After praising Allah Most
High, mentioning the Holy Prophet S, invoking mercy upon Abu Bakr & and
making du'a for victory for the Muslims, he said, "O Muslims, may Allah have
mercy upon you. Know that Allah is to test you with a great test to see what you will
do. It should also be considered that He has already fulfilled His promises unto you
and granted you victory in many places. My spies have told me that the enemy of
Allah, Heraclius, has sought reinforcements from the leaders of the lands of
Polytheism. He is now sending them against you and has heavily equipped and
armed them.

>"f 'Z'l ' > \ * ? *\ ' * *
^A s j3L> 4l)l jy \yahJ £)jJl)jZ

They desire to extinguish Allah 's light with their mouths, but
Allah will complete His light even if the Disbelievers dislike it.

[61:8]

Know that they are coming against you from different roads. The tyrant has ordered
them to unite against you. Know that Allah is with you. Those whom Allah abandons
are not many while those whom Allah is with are not few. What is your opinion? May
Allah have mercy upon you."

6) Sahabah <&> consult

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& told one of the spies, "Stand up and tell the Muslims what you
saw."

The spy told them of the army's great numbers, preparations and equipment. The

Muslims became anxious and fear entered their hearts. They looked at each other

- without saying anything. Abu 'Ubaydah * exclaimed, "What is this silence to my

262

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

question? May Allah have mercy upon you. Present your opinions for indeed Allah
has said to his Prophet Muhammad 0:

And consult them in the affair. Then when you have decided,
place your trust in Allah. [3:159]

One of the earliest Muslims said, "O commander, you are a man of high status about
whom a verse of the Quran was revealed. You are the one whom Rasulullah $
declared to be the Trustworthy One of this Ummah. He had said, 'Every ummah has
a trustworthy one and the Trustworthy One of this Ummah is Abu 'Ubaydah 'Amir
bin al-Jarrah.' So now you tell us what to do that will be beneficial to the Muslims."

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> : I am but a man like yourselves. You speak and I speak. You give
opinions and I give mine. Allah is the One who guides.

Yamani man : We advise you to leave this place and go to Wadi al-Qura which is
close to al-Madinah. We can then receive reinforcements from 'Umar. When the
enemy come against us we will be victorious against them.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> : All of you sit down. May Allah have mercy upon you. You have
submitted your views, but were I to move from here 'Umar would dislike it and
rebuke me, "You have abandoned those cities which Allah has conquered through
you and withdrawn from there. That is defeatism on your part." Submit other
opinions to me. May Allah have mercy upon you.

Qays bin Hubayrah : May Allah not return us safely to our families if we abandon
Syria. How can we leave all these gushing rivers, farmlands, grapevines, gold, silver
and brocade and return to the famine and drought of al-Hijaz? There we will eat
barley-bread and wear wool whereas we have such abundance here. If we are killed,
then what of it? We are promised Jannah and will be in luxury which cannot be
compared to this world.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : He has spoken the truth. By Allah! Qays bin Hubayrah has uttered
the truth. O Muslims, will you return to al-Hijaz and al-Madinah and leave for the
Christians all these palaces, forts, gardens, rivers, food, drink, gold and silver, although
of course what food is with Allah in the Eternal Abode is much better. Qays bin

263

Futuhushdm

Hubayrah has spoken the truth to us. We will not abandon this place until Allah
passes His decision. He is the best of Deciders.

Qays bin Hubayrah : O commander, may Allah make your words true too and help
you in your governorship. Do not move from your position but place your trust in
Allah and fight the enemies of Allah. Even if we do not gain a speedy victory, our
reward, although delayed until the next life, will not be lost.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4® : May Allah thank you and forgive us and you as well. Your view
is the correct view.

7) March on al-Yarmuk

The other Muslims then gave their opinions except Khalid &> who remained silent.
So Abu 'Ubaydah <& addressed him, "O Abu Sulayman, you are a brave man and a
bold horseman. You have excellent views and are resolute, what do you say about
what Qays has said?"

Khalid 4fe : Qays has presented an excellent idea, but I do not agree. However, I will
not oppose that which the Muslims have agreed upon.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& '■ If you have an idea which is beneficial then tell us and we will
follow what you say.

Khalid 4* : O commander, if you stay here you will only be making yourself a
target. This land is close to Caesarea where Constantine, the son of Heraclius, is
stationed with 40,000 horsemen in addition to the Jordanians who have fled from
you. I advise you to leave this place for al-Yarmuk where you can speedily receive
reinforcements from the Commander of the Believers, 'Umar bin al-Khattab. You
will be in a good position to gain victory for it is a land spacious for our horses.

Muslims : Yes, what Khalid 4t says is correct.

Abu Sujydn bin Harb 4* : O commander, first send Khalid 4& with his men to the area
around ar-Ramadah to form a barrier between us and them. During our march a great
tumult will be heard in the forest and we will be in a difficult position if the Romans
hear us and attack. However, if they do attack, Khalid <& will be there to meet them
with his men.

Khalid 4& : By Allah! O Ibn Harb, you have mentioned what is in my heart.

264

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Abu 'Ubaydah * then gave orders to evacuate al-Jabiyah. He called Khalid .$> and
ordered him to take the army he had brought with him from 'Iraq - which numbered
4,000 that day - and formed the vanguard to protect the Muslims. The Muslims made
such a din which could be heard from a distance of two Farsakhs (11 km). As they
headed towards al- Yarmuk, the Romans at the Jordan River heard the noise and
thought that the Muslims were fleeing back to al-Hijaz out of fear of Heraclius's
army. They therefore advanced against the Muslims.

Khalid 4& confronted them and called out to his men, "Attack these people. You will
be victorious."

The Muslims unsheathed their swords and pointed their spears. Khalid *, Dirar &,
al-Mirqal, Talhah bin Nawfal al-'Amiri, Zahid bin al-Asad, 'Amir bin at-Tufayl 4s>,
Ibn Akkal ad-Dam and other warriors attacked the enemy. The Romans were unable
to resist and fled with the Muslims either killing or capturing them. When the
fleeing Christians reached the Jordan River, many of them drowned therein. Khalid
£> then returned.

As for Abu 'Ubaydah .$> he reached al- Yarmuk leaving the transport at the back and
placed the women and children on a nearby hill. Guards were stationed on all the
roads. When Khalid & arrived with the prisoners and booty Abu 'Ubaydah *
delightedly exclaimed, "May Allah have mercy! This is definitely a sign of Allah's
help and victory to come."

The Muslims remained at al- Yarmuk preparing for battle and the promised arrival of
the enemy.

When Constantine, son of Heraclius, heard of the arrival of the Islamic army at al-
Yarmuk and the slow march of the Roman generals against the Muslims he sent a
message to the generals berating them for their slowness. When the messenger
reached Bannes he called all the princes and generals and read the letter out to them
and ordered them to march on. Thus they marched on. They oppressed the people of
every town they passed through, which had been conquered by the Muslims and said
to the locals, "Woe unto you! You abandoned your co-religionists and community
and went towards the 'Arabs."

"You are more blameworthy than us," retorted the locals, "for you ran away in defeat
forcing us to surrender in order to save ourselves."

The soldiers recognised the validity of this accusation and remained silent.

265

Futuhushdm

8) Arrival at al-Yarmuk

The Romans continued their march towards al-Yarmuk until they arrived at the
Mountain Monastery near ar-Ramadah and al-Julan. They kept a distance of three
Farsakh (16.5 km) away from the Muslims. Once all their forces had arrived, the first
division moved in the direction of the Sahabah of Rasulullah S. Jabalah bin al-
Ayham was leading the vanguard consisting of 60,000 Christian 'Arabs of Ghassan,
Lakhm and Jutham. They were Bannes's vanguard. When the Sahabah & saw the
great multitude they exclaimed, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do
good except through Allah, Most High, Most Mighty."

'Atiyah bin 'Amir narrates:

By Allah! The only way I can describe the number of Romans is like a mighty swarm
of locusts. They covered the entire valley. I saw the Muslims in great anxiety
continuously reciting, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good and
except through Allah, The Most High, the Most Mighty."

Abu 'Ubaydah & was reciting,

tal-tSleUpj \J^e> UJLp j^sl Ujj

O our Rabbi Pour patience upon us! Make our feet firm and
help us against the Disbelieving nation! [2:250]

The Muslims fetched their gear and Abu 'Ubaydah & called those Disbelieving spies
serving him and ordered them to enter the Roman army and spy on the number of
their soldiers, equipment and weapons. He said, "I hope that Allah will grant it all to
us as booty."

Bannes remained facing the Muslims for several days without any fighting. He had
refrained from attacking because a messenger arrived from Caesar saying, "Do not
attack the Muslims until we send an envoy to them promising a great annual amount
and gifts for their leader, 'Umar bin al-Khattab, and all their chiefs. They may keep
all the territory from al-Jabiyah to al-Hijaz."

Bannes : It is absolutely preposterous that they will ever accept that.

266

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Prince George : How can you object against Caesar's suggestion?

King Bannes : Then you can go to them yourself. Call for an intelligent man from
amongst them and suggest this offer to him. Make great effort in your mission.

George dressed in brocade, tied a jewelled band around his head and mounted a tall
grey horse with a golden saddle inlaid with pearls and jewels. 1,000 horsemen of
Madbajah accompanied him to the Muslim camp. When they came near he. halted
them and carried on alone calling out, "O 'Arabs, I am an envoy of King Bannes. Let
your commander come out so that we may present some peace proposals which
might save us from shedding each other's blood."

The Muslims went to inform Abu 'Ubaydah *&> who went out. He was wearing white
'Iraqi cotton fabric and a black turban and had his sword girdled. He rode on his
horse until its neck met the neck of George's horse. Everybody was watching them.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : O Disbelieving brother, say what you have got to say and ask
what you have got to ask.

George : O 'Arabs, you should not be deceived into saying, "We have defeated the
armies of Rome in many places. We have conquered their lands and are supreme in
most of the territories." Look now at what kind of an army has come against you. We
have with us all various nations. We have sworn not to flee even if it means that all
of us will be killed. You do not have power against all these legions you see. Return
to your lands for you have reached the maximum limit of what you can conquer of
Caesar's Empire. Our Caesar is so generous that he is prepared to gift you the area
you have taken in the past three years. You have also looted much gold, silver and
weapons although you came naked to Syria running away from your land. Accept
what I offer or face utter destruction.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4a : You say that the Romans will never retreat? They will turn on
their heels as soon as they see the blades of our swords. As for threatening us with
your great numbers you have already seen how we kill double our number and you
have seen how we meet your great armies with all their equipment and weapons and
all the things we love on the day of battle until it becomes clear which of us is firm
in war.

George turned to one of his men called Bahil and said, "O Bahil, Caesar knows these
'Arabs better than us."

Then turning his horse's head he returned to Bannes and reported what Abu
'Ubaydah 4*> had said.

267

Futuhushdm

Bannes : Did you propose a treaty?

George : By Christ! I hardly had a chance to propose such a thing. It would be better
if you send the Christian 'Arabs for they understand each other better.

9) Negotiations

Bannes summoned Jabalah bin al-Ayham and said, "O Jabalah, go and threaten them
with our massive numbers. Put terror in their hearts and use whatever strategy you
can."

Jabalah left and upon nearing the Muslim camp called out, "O 'Arabs, let a
descendant of 'Amr bin 'Amir come out so that I can convey a message to him."

When Abu 'Ubaydah & heard this he said, "They have sent one of our nation unto
us to deceive us with family ties. Send one of the Ansar from the descendants of
'Amr bin 'Amir to him."

'Ubadah bin al-Samit * quickly said, "O commander, I will go to him. I will see
what he says."

'Ubadah 4b rode out on his horse and halted in front of Jabalah. Jabalah saw this tall
man, deep-brown in complexion as if he was of the Yamani tribe of Shanuah.
'Ubadah 4b was extremely tall and his enormous physique frightened Jabalah.

Jabalah : Boy, from which nation are you?

'Ubadah 4b: I am of the descendants of 'Amr bin 'Amir.

Jabalah : That is good. What is your name?

'Ubadah 4? '■ 'Ubadah bin al-Samit, Sahabi of Rasulullah S. What do you want?

Jabalah : O my cousin, I came because I know most of you to be my relations. I have
come as a well-wisher to give advice. Know that this army which has come against
you has no end. Behind them they have more troops, forts, castles and wealth. You
should not say, "We have broken and defeated the armies of Rome before." Know
that war's fortunes rotate. If these people defeat you, you will find no protection
besides death. If on the other hand they are defeated they can always return to their
cities, treasuries, armies and forts. Take what you have so far earned and return
safely to your lands.

268

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

'Ubddcth 4b '■ O Jabalah, do you not know how we confronted their great armies at
Ajnadayn and other places? Allah helped us and their tyrant flees from us. So now
we know that whatever you can throw at us will be quite easily handled. We fear
none that comes against us. We have tasted the blood of Rome and find nothing
sweeter. O Jabalah, I invite you to the Din of Islam. Enter together with your people
into our Din. That will bring you honour in this world and the next. Stop being a
servant to that Christian of Rome for whose sake you are destroying yourself. You
are one of the leaders and kings of the 'Arabs. Our Din is such that its start is so clear
and the end is as clear as the start. Follow the way of those who follow the Truth and
are true to it. Say - There is no deity but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
O Allah convey salutations and peace on him, his family and his SaMbah.

Jabalah (angry) : I will never abandon my faith.

'Ubddah 4b : So if you insist on remaining on your Disbelief, then beware of meeting
me at the first clash, for it will be most severe. If the blades of our swords reach you
there will be no escape. Leave us to deal with the Romans for they are insignificant
to us. If you are going to stay in this state then the same fate will befall you as will
befall the Romans.

Jabalah (even more angry) : How dare you try to scare me with your swords! We are
'Arabs like you are 'Arabs. Men like you.

'Ubddah & : We are well aware that you came to trick us and spy on us. We are most
certainly not alike. Woe unto you! We are firm in our battle, taking our Rabb as one.
We follow the Sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad. Behind us is an army which
conquers all lands leaving them desolate.

Jabalah : I know of no army behind you besides that little one. Who is there to help
you besides them?

'Ubddah 4b : By Allah! You lie, O Ibn al-Ayham. Behind us is an army of great
warriors who regard death as a blessing and life as a burden. Each one of them is
enough to take on an entire army. Woe unto you! Have you forgotten 'Ali and his
strength; 'Umar and his sternness; 'Uthman and his generosity; al-'Abbas and his
great build; az-Zubayr and all the other Muslim horsemen from Makkah, at-Taif,
Yaman and other places?

Jabalah : O cousin, I had come solely as a well-wisher, even if you deny this, and
ask your people to accept peace.

269

Futuhusham

'Ubddah <&> : There can never be peace between us until you either pay Jizyah or
accept Islam. Failing that the sword will decide between us. By Allah! Were it not for
the fact that we consider treachery to be an ugly deed, I would have struck you down
with my sword right now.

10) Khalid £> sends a delegation to Jabalah

Jabalah felt that the discussion was over and instead of replying, turned his horse and
returned to Bannes terrified at 'Ubadah's words. As he stood in front of Bannes
terror was clearly written on his face.

Bannes : What happened?

Jabalah : I warned and threatened and tempted them but it was all in vain. All I got
in reply was, "There is only war and fighting between us."

Bannes : Then what is this terror which I see on your face? They are 'Arabs like you
and you are 'Arabs like them. I have been informed that they are a mere 30,000
horsemen, whereas you have 60,000 horsemen. Two of you will fight one of them.
Fight them with your Christian 'Arab cousins and I will be behind you. If you are
victorious then we will share the realm and you will be the closest to us and will be
given all the Syrian lands conquered by the 'Arabs.

Bannes continued to encourage Jabalah with great rewards until he agreed to fight
the Muslims. He informed his people and clansmen of Ghassan, Lakhm, Jutham and
the other 'Arab Christians and ordered them to arm themselves. They obeyed and
dressed in chain-mail and layered armour. All 60,000 were 'Arabs. Jabalah led them
wearing his golden armour and Tubba' manufactured sword. Near him was the flag
which Heraclius had given him. When he arrived at the Muslim camp, 'Ubadah *&
was briefing Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe about what had transpired between him and Jabalah.
When the Muslims saw the Christians they shouted, "O Muslims, the Christian
'Arabs have come to fight you, so what do you say?"

"We will fight them and hope for victory and Allah's help against them and against
the enemy besides them," they replied and prepared to launch a counter-attack.

But Khalid & called out, "Be patient! May Allah have mercy on you! I will tell you
a strategy through which they will be destroyed." Then he said to Abu 'Ubaydah <&,
"O commander, the Romans have sought help from the Christian 'Arabs against us.
They are double our number. Even if we fight them with our total force we will be

270

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

in a very weak position. Let me send to them a messenger of their nation to ask them
to withdraw. If they listen it will be a defeat for them and weaken the Roman
position. If they refuse then even a small group amongst us will be able to send them
packing with Allah's help."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4«. : Do as you please.

Khalid * called Qays bin Sa'd &, 'Ubadah bin al-Samit * , Jabir bin 'Abdillah <&
and Abu Ayyub bin Khalid bin Yazid -*> and said to them, "O Ansar of Allah and His
Messenger, these Christian 'Arabs wish to fight us. They are of Ghassan, Lakhm and
Jutham and are your cousins in lineage. Go out and speak to them. Persuade them not
to fight. If they refuse, then our swords will deal with them. We are enough to meet
them in battle."

The Sahabah & of Rasulullah S went to the Christian 'Arabs and found Jabalah
facing the Muslims preparing to fight them. As they approached Banu Ghassan, Jabir
bin 'Abdillah 4$> called out, "O 'Arabs of Ghassan, Lakhm and Jutham, we are your
cousins desiring to speak to you."

Jabalah granted permission and they came into his large brocaded tent. He was
sitting on a yellow silk rug surrounded by the kings of Jafnah. They greeted him in
the manner in which 'Arab kings used to be greeted, thus raising their status in his
eyes and he drew them closer.

11) Jabalah and the Ansar &

Jabalah : O my cousins, we have common blood and ancestry. I have come out from
this army which has come upon you. A man then came from your army and
transgressed the limits of speech when addressing me. So now what brings you to
me?

Jabir 4» : Do not take us to task for what our friend has said. Our Din is based on
Truth and wishing well unto others. To wish you well is obligatory since you are a
relative. We therefore invite you to Islam and to become part of our community. You
will be entitled to whatever we are entitled to and will be obligated with whatever we
are obligated with. Our Din is most noble and our Prophet S most graceful.

Jabalah : I do not like that religion or any other. I am attached to my religion. You,
O Aws and Khazraj, are pleased with a thing for yourself while we are pleased with
something else. You keep to your religion while we keep to ours.

271

Futuhushdm

Jdbir 4fe : If you will not leave your religion then at least refrain from fighting us.
Wait and see who is victorious. If we are victorious and you want to accept Islam we
will still welcome you and you will be a brother unto us. If however you wish to
remain as a Christian then we will be satisfied with Jizyah from you and will leave
you in control of your lands and the lands of your ancestors as well.

Jabalah : I fear that should I refrain from fighting and the Romans are victorious, I
will not be safe and will lose my territory. They will only be satisfied with me if I
fight against you and have proclaimed me as a leader over all the 'Arabs. Were I to
become a Muslim I would be reduced to a low status and it is not in my nature to be
a mere follower.

Jdbir 4fr : Bear in mind that if you refuse our offer and we win we will certainly
execute you. Therefore stay away from us and our swords which crack open skulls
and break bones. However, we would much prefer it if the battle were to take place
without you and your men participating.

The Ansar & were trying to frighten Jabalah and convince him to withdraw, but he
remained adamant.

Jabalah : By Christ and the Cross! I will definitely fight on Rome's behalf even if it
has to be against all my relations.

Qays bin Sa'd^>: The result of what you wish is that the Devil will clasp your heart
and sink with you into Hell. You will thus be of the destroyed ones. We have come
to invite you to Islam because your lineage links up to ours. If you refuse then you
will taste of such a terrible war wherein a toddler will age before his time and become
an old man.

Qays 4fe then sprang up and said to the Muslims, "Arise with the blessings and help
of Allah Most High and in His complete obedience. To Hell with this man!"

Jabalah got up saying, "Be prepared for the battle tomorrow."

12) Khalid's <afe> audacious plan

The Ansar 4e mounted their horses and returned to Abu 'Ubaydah 4& and KMlid <&
to report to them that Jabalah was set on fighting them. Khalid 4& exclaimed, "May
Allah exterminate him! He will certainly see what we are going to do with him." He
then addressed the Muslims.

272

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Khdlid 4b : O Muslims, know that the Devil's army is 60,000 Christian 'Arabs. We,
the army of the Most Merciful, amount to 30,000 horsemen. We will have to fight
this big force but if we fight them with our entire force, that would be quite
cowardly. All we need to do is to send our select and elite warriors against the
Christian Arabs.

Abu Sufydn Sakhr bin Harb 4b : Praise be to Allah for you, O Abu Sulayman, your
view is correct. So do what you want to and select from the army whomsoever you
desire.

Khdlid 4* : I propose selecting thirty horsemen, each of whom will have to face
2,000 Christian 'Arabs.

The Muslims were astonished and thought that he was joking.

Abu Sufydn 4b : O Ibn al-Walid, are you joking or serious?

Khdlid 4b : I swear, no. I am quite serious.

Abu Sufydn 4* : Then you are opposing Allah's command by wronging yourself. I do
not think that there is any good in what you say, although one Muslim against 200
would be easier than what you say of fighting 2,000. Allah Most Honourable and
Majestic is merciful unto His slaves. He has stipulated upon us that one of us may
fight two, 100 against 200 and 1,000 against 2,000 whereas you say that thirty of us
must go against 60,000? None will volunteer for this and if he does then he will
wrong himself and you will have assisted in killing him.

Khdlid 4* '■ O Abu Sufyan, you were so brave in pre-Islamic times so do not be
cowardly in Islam. See which Muslim warriors I will select and you will see that they
are such men who have gifted their lives to Allah and desire nothing through their
fighting except Allah himself. Allah knows who possesses these qualities and it will
be His responsibility to aid him even if he were to cross repulsive fires.

Abu Sufydn 4b : Matters are as you have stated them. I only said this out of
compassion for the Muslims. If you have resolved upon this then at least take sixty
Muslims so that each will only have to face 1,000 Christian 'Arabs.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : Yes. Abu Sulayman, Abu Sufyan is correct.

Khdlid *& : By Allah! O commander, all I intended was a strategy against our enemy.
If they should flee in defeat and should be questioned, "How many confronted you?"

273

Futuhushdm

they would have to reply, "We confronted thirty men!" Thus our terror will enter their
hearts and Bannes will know that we are enough for him.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4k : Matters are as you have stated except that if they are sixty they
would be a fair group able to protect each other.

Khdlid *: I am selecting such Muslims whom I know for their patience,
steadfastness and the way they forge ahead in battle. I will offer them this mission
and if they love to meet Allah and desire His reward they will accept.

However, if they love the life of this world and wish to remain therein and do not
love death then what choice does Khalid 4» have except to spend his life for Allah
Who guides towards that which He loves and pleases Him.

13) The sixty

'Amr bin Salim narrates from his grandfather, Bar'i bin 'Adi:

I was with Khalid &> when he summoned sixty Sahabah & of Rasulullah S. He called
out, "Where are 'Amr at-Tamimi, Shurahbil bin Hasanah who would write down the
revelations of Rasulullah @, Khalid bin Sa'id bin al-'As, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan al-
Umawi, Safwan bin Umayyah al-Jumahi, Sahl bin 'Amr al-'Amiri, Dirar bin al-
Azwar aL-Kindi, Rafi' bin 'Umayrah at-Tai, Zayd al-Khayl Abyad ar-Rikabayn,
Huthayfah bin al-Yaman, Qays bin Sa'd, Ka'b bin Malik al-Ansari, Suwayd bin
'Amr al-Ghanawi, 'Ubadah bin as -Samit, Jabir bin 'Abdillah, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari,
'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin al-Khattab al-' Adawi, Rafi bin
Sahl, Yazid bin 'Amir, 'Ubayd bin Aws, Malik bin Nasr, Nasr bin al-Harith, Abdullah
bin Zhafar, Abu Lubabah bin al-Muthir, Awf, 'Abis bin Qays, Ubadah bin 'Abdillah
al-Ansari, Rafi bin 'Ujrah, Ubayd bin 'Abdillah, Mu'qib bin Qays and Hilal? Where
are those who were patient at the Battle of Uhud, for Allah has mentioned them in
His Book:

^iXjU l_j~L*J tyV^o AjU t ^-r=j\» Cr^i Ol^

If there are 100 patient ones of you, you will overcome 200.

[8:66]

274

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Where are Usayd as-Sa'idi, Kilal bin al-Harith al-Mazini, Hamzah bin 'Umar al-
Aslami and Yazid bin 'Amir?"

Khalid 4* called out the names of all those who would go and fight Jabalah although
I (al-Waqidi) have shortened the list. I have given preference to mentioning the Ansar
& because he chose most of them from the Ansar <&. When the Ansar & heard the
frequency with which their names were being called out they remarked, "Today
Khalid is mostly calling out the Ansar and rarely the Muhajirin, the descendants of
al-Mughirah bin Qusayy. Is it because he is testing us or is it because he prefers us
to be destroyed and pities the descendants of al-Mughirah?"

When Khalid & heard this he rode with his horse until he was right in the middle of
the Ansar 4s» and said, "By Allah! O descendants of 'Amir, I only call you because of
your pleasing qualities. I also have firm trust in you and have selected you for your
Faith. You are of those whose Faith is firmly anchored in the heart."

"You are true in what you say, O Abu Sulayman," they replied and proceeded to
shake his hands.

After selecting the sixty, each of whom would have to take on an army by himself,
Khalid * called out, "O Helpers of Allah, what do you say about joining me in an
assault against this army which has come to fight you? If you have patience then
Allah will aid you and you will be victorious against the Christian 'Arabs. You have
already defeated the legions of Rome-, so when you defeat these 'Arabs fear will
descend in their hearts and they will turn in defeat."

The sixty responded, "O Abu Sulayman, do with us as you please! Go against
however many you want to. By Allah! We will fight our enemies in support of the
Din of Allah. We place our trust in Allah Most High and His power. We give up our
lives in desire for the Hereafter."

Khalid 4fc thanked them as did Abu 'Ubaydah <$> who said, "May Allah have mercy
on you. Prepare, get your gear and weapons. Fight with swords only. None of you
should take a spear for it is unreliable and often misses the mark. Neither should you
take arrows for sometimes they miss and sometimes they hit. The sword and shield
are the bases of war. Mount speedy horses which can save you, not such horses which
you cannot be patient with. Promise to meet each other at the grave of the Chosen
Prophet."

275

Futuhushdm

14) The sixty set out

They all went to their families to fulfil their promise (of meeting at the grave) and
bid them farewell. As for Dirar &, he went to his tent to make his preparations. When
he made salam to his sister, Khawlah bint al-Azwar, and put on his armour, she asked
him, "O my brother, why is it that I see you departing like one who is certain never
to return? Tell me what you intend doing."

When he told her she wept and said, "O my brother, do what you want to do and meet
your enemy for you are one who has firm belief in Allah, Most Blessed and High. He
will help you. Your enemy will not be able to approach you even from afar and will
not be able to escape from you even a short distance. If anything should befall you
then I swear by Allah who is Most Mighty that Khawlah will not find rest on this
Earth until she avenges you."

Dirar 4& wept because of her weeping, but continued his preparations just as the other
sixty Sahabah & of Rasulullah & were doing. They did not sleep at all that night, but
were bidding their children and wives farewell and wept the whole night in humility
before Allah, begging him for help against the enemy.

In the morning Abu 'Ubaydah & led them in Salatul Fajr. Upon completing it, the
first to rush out for the mission was Khalid & who recited :

\-^\jjJ\j jJLJJl U^ ./> ; ,^-i I — ^ — ■*> I — : — J <u>i 3}j — ,j

O my brethren, all of you give up your life

Towards the enemy we go seeking strife.

In that way we hope for triumph and success

When for that we give our lives in sacrifice.

Allah will grant us goodness

Morning and evening He will help us.

He recited another couplet which I (al-Waqidi) do not know.

He went out of the camp leading the Muslims who came one by one until all sixty he
had chosen gathered behind him. The last to emerge was az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam

276

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

4b. His wife, Asma bint Abi Bakr, accompanied him. She headed for her brother,
' Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr, making du'a for safety and victory for the Muslims and
said, "O my brother, do not separate from the son of the aunt of Rasulullah S (az-
Zubayr 4&). At the time of battle do as he does and do not allow the fault-seekers to
stop you from doing what is right in the Path of Allah."

The Muslims bade the sixty farewell who moved out with Khalid 4t> in the centre. He
was like a lion in the centre of a pride of lions. They rode until they reached the
Christian 'Arabs.

15) Jabalah and Khalid &

When the Christian 'Arabs saw their small numbers they thought that they were only
messengers coming to seek peace. Jabalah called to his men to frighten the
"messengers" and then shouted (to frighten the Muslims), "O family of Ghassan,
hasten to the aid of the Cross. Fight those who deny it."

They hastened to comply, grabbed their war-gear, raised their crosses and formed
rows for battle.

The sun blazed forth heating their iron, armour and helmets until they it seemed as if
they were burning in a fire. The Christians stood watching the Muslims. When the
Muslims were close to their crosses, Khalid 4& shouted, "O worshippers of the Cross,
O enemies of the Most Merciful, come to battle and cutting!"

Jabalah finally realised that they were not messengers but had come to fight.
Covered in armour, he led his men and recited :

We are for those who worship the Crucifix,

Those who blame us for our actions soon we will fix.

We are victorious through Christ and His Mother,

War knows us to be the only inheritor.

We come and the Cross we do employ,

With our swords we will destroy.

277

Futuhushdm

He then asked, "Who dares to challenge us?"

"I," said Khalid .& and advanced to the main body of their army.

Jabalah : We are prepared to fight you so await our attack. By Christ! I will never
accept peace with you. Go back to your people and inform them that we are intent on
fighting you.

Khalid 4& (amazed) : You actually think that we are here as messengers?

Jabalah : Of course!

Khalid & : Do not ever think that. By Allah! Our only purpose for coming out is to
fight you. You might consider us to be a small group, but we have Allah's support
against you.

Jabalah: You boy, you have misled yourself and your people if you have come to
fight us. We are the chiefs of Ghassan, Lakhm and Jutham.

Khalid <&> '■ We are not as few in number as you might think. One of us will combat
1,000 of you and then we will still have one man to spare. I thirst to fight you just as
one thirsts for cool water.

Jabalah : O brother of Banu Makhzum, I had always considered you to be highly
intelligent and a formidable warrior until I heard these foolish words coming from
you. You and sixty men want to attack us whereas we are the chiefs of Ghassan and
the warriors of this era.

I will attack you with 60,000 horsemen and none of you will remain. O Ghassan,
charge!

16) One against a thousand

The 60,000 Christians charged, but Khalid & and the sixty Sahabah & remained
firm. The battle was intense and nothing but the roaring of the warriors could be
heard. Swords struck polished helmets until none - either Muslim or Christian -
thought that the Sahabah & would survive. The Muslims wept and became anxious
for their brethren. Some even said, "Khalid has deceived and destroyed the Sahabah
ofRasulullahS."

In the meantime the Romans exclaimed, "Jabalah has destroyed them. There is no
escape for these 'Arabs from destruction at our hands."

278

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

The battle continued until noon.

'Ubadah bin gamit 4fe narrates:

Praise be to Allah! Khalid <&, az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam 4&, 'Abdurahman bin Abi
Bakr 4b, al-Fadl bin al-' Abbas -*>, Dirar bin al-Azwar 4b and 'Abdullah bin 'Umar 4b
were truly amazing. I saw these six joined shoulder-to-shoulder, never separating.
The flame of war intensified. Spears ripped the chests of the Muslim lions until they
penetrated their hearts to end their lives. This violent battle continued and reached
the height of intensity.

I attacked with them and said, "That which has afflicted them (the martyrs) will
afflict me too."

Khalid 4b called out, "O Sahabah of Rasulullah &>, gather here."

He penetrated to the centre and as the battle intensified, charged with Hisham and al-
Mirqal. The Christians then surrounded them, but praise be to Allah for the bravery
of az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam 4b and al-Fadl bin al-'Abbas 4b. They came and al-
Fadl^ shouted, "Make space, you dogs. Leave our friends alone. That is az-Zubayr
bin al-'Awwam 4b and I am al-Fadl bin al- 'Abbas, the cousin of Rasulullah S."

I swear that I counted the number of times al-Fadl charged to defend Khalid 4b- Upon
his twentieth charge they left Khalid 4b. The Muslims then launched a great attack
against the Christians and remained in combat for the rest of the day until sunset. The
Muslims were worried about their brethren.

As for Abu 'Ubaydah 4b, he called out to the Muslims, "O Sahabah of Rasulullah H,
Khalid <$> and his men have doubtlessly been destroyed. The Muslim horsemen have
gone. Attack so that we can see what has happened to our brothers. May Allah bless
you."

All responded positively except Abu Sufyan 4b who said, "O commander, do not do
that. They will certainly escape on their own. We shall soon see what happens to
them."

Abu 'Ubaydah & paid no heed to his words and remained anxious. He was about to
attack when the Christians started fleeing in defeat. The voices of the Sahabah 4fe
could be heard raising cries of, "La ilaha illallah wallahu Akbar!"

Each called out, "I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone, He has no
partner, and Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger."

279

Futuhushdm

The Christian 'Arabs were fleeing as if someone was screaming at them from the sky.
Their cohesion was utterly shattered. Khalid 4» emerged from the midst of the
turmoil with clear signs of battle-fatigue on his face. Those who were with him were
in a similar state.

17) Missing in action

Khalid 4» began searching for his sixty men, but only found twenty. He began
beating himself on the face, saying, "O Ibn al-Walid, you have destroyed the
Muslims. What will your excuse be tomorrow to the Most Merciful and to the
Commander of the Believers?"

While he was in that state of confusion, Abu 'Ubaydah 4» who had been chasing the
enemy arrived with the Muslim warriors and saw what he was doing to himself.

Abu 'Ubaydah ^ : O Abu Sulayman, praise be to Allah for helping the Muslims and
defeating the Christians.

Khalid 4» : O commander, I know that Allah defeated the army, but grief follows your
joy-

Abu 'Ubaydah 4t> '■ How is that?

Khalid •$> '■ O commander, I have lost forty men including az-Zubayr, the cousin of
Rasulullah S, and al-Fadl bin al-'Abbas.

Khalid <&> continued naming them one by one until he had listed all forty.

Abu 'Ubaydah &> : Verily we belong to Allah and to Him we return. There is no
ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except through Allah, the Most High,
the Most Mighty. Khalid, your vanity has destroyed the Muslims.

Salamah bin al-Ahwas as-Sulami : O commander, look for the lost Sahabah in the
battlefield for I saw them either captured by the enemy or going in pursuit of the
enemy.

Abu 'Ubaydah & ordered fires to be lit to dispel the intense darkness. The Muslims
then went out to search the bodies lying on the battlefield and found 5,000 Christian
'Arabs dead and two of their chiefs, Rifa'ah bin Mut'im al-Ghassani and Shaddad
bin al-Aws. Ten Muslim martyrs were found of whom two were from the Ansar -
Amir al-Awsi and Salamah al-Khazraji. Abu 'Ubaydah *> said, "It is possible that the
rest went in pursuit of the enemy. O Allah, grant us relief soon. Do not sadden us

280

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

with the loss of the son of the aunt of Rasulullah H, az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam^,
nor with the son of the uncle of Rasulullah $1, al-Fadl bin al-' Abbas 4b. O Muslims,
who will go after the enemy to find out about the missing Sahabah? His reward will
be from Allah."

The first to respond was Khalid 4b to whom Abu 'Ubaydah 4b replied, "Do not do
this, Abu Sulayman. You are exhausted from the battle."

Khalid 4b : By Allah! None except me shall go in search of them.

He then exchanged his horse for that of Hazim bin Jubayr bin 'Adi of Banu an-
Najjar. He went in search of the missing Muslims. A troop of Muslim horsemen
followed him. They had not gone far when cries of, "La ilaha illallah wallahu
Akbar!" were heard. When Khalid 4b responded in a like manner the missing ones
emerged with az-Zubayr 4b, al-Fadl, Hashim and al-Mirqal taking the lead.

When Khalid •& saw them he was overjoyed and welcomed them. After making
salam to them he asked al-Fadl, "O cousin of Rasulullah S, what happened to you
people?"

Al-Fadl 4b : O Abu Sulayman, Allah defeated the Christians and turned them away
in defeat. We were following them when some of our men were captured. We tried
to free them but found no trace of them. Doubtlessly they have been killed.

Khalid 4b : No, they are certainly being held prisoner.

Az-Zubayr 4b : And how would you know that, Abu Sulayman?

Khalid & : We only found ten bodies lying in the battlefield. We are twenty and you
are twenty-five which means that five are being held prisoner.

The five prisoners were Rafi' bin 'Umayrah, Rabi'ah bin 'Amir, Dirar 4b, Asim bin
'Amr and Yazid bin AM Sufyan •&. This was difficult for the Muslims to bear. The
search parties returned to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b who upon seeing az-Zubayr 4b, al-Fadl,
al-Mirqal and Hashim safe and joyous at the victory, prostrated on his saddle-bow
out of gratitude to Allah.

Khalid 4b : O Muslims, I offered my life but was not blessed with martyrdom.
Whichever Muslim was killed had reached his appointed time. If Allah wills I will
free the prisoners.

281

Futuhushdm

18) Abu 'Ubaydah <&> requests reinforcements

A reliable narrator narrates that when Abu 'Ubaydah 4& saw that the Romans were
intent on fighting him, he wrote the following letter to 'Umar 4»:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

To : The Commander of the Believers, 'Umar bin al-Khattdb

From : Abu 'Ubaydah 'Amir bin al-Jarrdh, his governor

Saldm 'alayka

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and I
convey salutations upon His Prophet Muhammad.

Know, O commander, that the Dog of Rome, Heraclius, has
gathered against us all who carry the cross. They have come
against us like a swarm of locusts. We had encamped at al-
Yarmuk which is close to ar-Ramdh and al-Khawldn when the
enemy numbering 800,000 excluding non-combatant servants
arrived. Their vanguard was 60,000 Christian Arabs of
Ghassdn, Lakhm and Juthdm.

The first to confront us was Jabalah bin al-Ayham with his
60,000 men against whom we sent 60 men. Allah Most High
then defeated the Disbelievers.

Victory is only from Allah, the Mighty and Wise. [3:162]

Ten of our men were killed. They are Rd'ilah, Ja'far bin al-
Musayyib, Nawfal bin Waraqah, Qays bin 'Amir, Salamah bin
Salamah al-Khazraji etc. Five of them were captured and they

282

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

are Rdfi ' bin 'Umayrah, Rabi'ah bin 'Amir, Dirdr bin al-Azwar,
'Asim bin 'Amr and Yazid bin AM Sujydn 4&.

We intend to continue fighting so do not neglect the Muslims.
Send us reinforcements from amongst the people of Tawheed
[Monotheists] . We ask Allah to help us, Islam and its people.
Peace and Allah 's mercy and blessings be upon you and all the
Muslims.

He folded the letter and gave it to 'Abdullah bin Qurt al-Azdi 4s> to deliver to al-
Madinah.

'Abdullah bin Qurt 4fc narrates:

I left al- Yarmuk at 4pm after Asr on Friday 12 Thil Hijjah and arrived at al-Madinah
the following Friday at 11am. The masjid was full of people. I tied my camel at the
Gate of Jibrail and went to the tomb of Rasulullah S to convey salam to him and Abu
Bakr4J8. There I performed two raka'at and then went to deliver the letter to
'Umar 4k

The sight of the letter caused a tumult amongst the Muslims and they looked towards
'Umar. I kissed his hands and gave it to him. When he read it his face changed colour
and he was upset and shaken. He said, "Verily we belong to Allah and to Him we
return."

Sahabah such as 'Uthman, 'Alt, 'Abdurahman bin 'Awf and Talhah asked, "O
commander of the Believers, tell us about the state of our Muslim brothers."

'Umar then stood up, mounted the mimbar and read out the letter. When they heard
it the Muslims began weeping. Ibn 'Awf 4» wept the most and said, "O
commander of the Believers, send us to them. Were you to go yourself to Syria they
would be greatly strengthened, but by Allah, I only have control over myself and my
life and I am not miserly in spending these two things for the sake of the Muslims."

19) 'Umar's 4k> response

When 'Umar * saw the great sympathy being exhibited for their brothers, he said,
"O Ibn Qurt, who leads the Roman army?"

283

Futuhushdm

"There are five generals," I replied, "Caesar's nephew, Theodoras, Trajan, Canter
and George. These four are under the supreme command of Bannes, King of
Armenia. Jabalah bin al-Ayham al-Ghassani leads the vanguard of 60,000 horsemen
who are all Christian 'Arabs.

'Umar 4& : Verily we belong to Allah and to Him we return. There is no power to do
good or ability to avoid evil except through Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty.

- ^ . >Y\ ' s *\' * i * •** T'

They desire to extinguish the Light of Allah with their mouths,

but Allah will complete His Light even if the Disbelievers

dislike it. [61:8]

O Muslims, what is your counsel to me? May Allah have mercy upon you.

Alt& : Glad tidings! May Allah have mercy upon you all. This battle will be a sign
from amongst Allah's signs. He is testing His believing slaves to see their actions and
their patience. He will confirm the patient one who expects due reward as truly
patient. Remember that Rasulullah ft has mentioned to me that this battle will be
remembered for as long as this perishing world remains.

Al- Abbas «&> : O my nephew, against whom will this battle go?

Ali &> : O Uncle, against those who deny Allah and ascribe a son unto Him. Be
certain of victory from Allah. O Commander of the Believers, write to your governor,
Abu 'Ubaydah, and tell him that Allah's help is better for him than our help and
reinforcements. He will soon find himself in a momentous situation.

'Umar «§» mounted the mimbar and delivered such a sermon about the virtues of Jihad
that it shook the listener's hearts and moved them to tears. He then dismounted and
led the Muslims in Salah. After the Salah he wrote the following response to Abu
'Ubaydah 4t:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

284

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

From : The slave of Allah, 'Umar, the Commander of the
Believers

To : The Trustworthy One of the Ummah, Abu 'Ubaydah bin al-
Jarrah and those Muhdjirin andAnsdr who are with him.

Saldm Alaykum

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and send
salutations upon His Prophet Muhammad.

Allah s help is better for you than ours. It is not through
numbers that victory is gained, but through the help which Allah
sends down. Allah, Most Honourable and Majestic says:

Your armies will be of no benefit to you even if they are
numerous and Allah is with the Believers. [8:19]

Sometimes Allah helps a petty little group against a mighty army
and victory comes only from Allah Most High who says,

J^i O* r&J "^ lj^ Cr° (4^

Some of them have fulfilled their promise (to die in the Path of
Allah) while others still wait to. [33:23]

Congratulations to the martyrs! Congratulations to he who
relies upon Allah! Now go and confront the enemy with those
Muslims who are with you. Do not be despondent about those
Muslims who were brought down. For I saw such people with
Rasululldh H in many battles but they never showed
helplessness against the enemy until they became martyred. Do

285

Futuhushdm

not fear death but strive in the Path of Allah as it should be
done.

±£

77/ey saz d nothing except, "O our Rabbi Forgive our sins and

transgressions in our matter and entrench our feet and help us

against the Disbelieving Nation. " So Allah granted them the

reward of this world and the better reward of the Hereafter.

Allah loves those who do good. [3:147-8]

When my letter reaches you, read it out to the Muslims and order
them to fight the enemy in the Path of Allah. Recite unto them :

^•_jj>djL) iSsisJ 4JJ! Ijjjjlj \j)oj\jj

O you who believe! Be patient, help one another in patience

and defend each other and fear Allah so that you may be

successful. [3:200]

Was-saldmu 'alayka wa rahmatulldhi wa bardktuhu.

20) Status of Umar &

'Umar & folded the letter and handed it to Ibn Qurt 4fe, saying, "Ibn Qurt, when you
come to the Muslims line them up and go between the lines until you come to the

286

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

flag-bearers. Inform them that you are my messenger and say: 'Umar bin al-Khattab
conveys his salam and says, 'O people of Faith, show them what battle is about when
you confront them. Be as fierce as lions against them. Strike their heads with your
swords. Consider them to be less than flies because you will be victorious if Allah
wills.' Then recite unto them :

Verily the party of Allah is victorious. [5:56]

'Abdullah bin Quri -*> narrates:

I said to him, "O Commander of the Believers, make du'a unto Allah that I travel
safely and speedily."

'Umar 4b prayed, "O Allah, defend him, keep him safe and fold up the long
distances. Indeed You have power over all things."

I then departed from the Masjid via the Ethiopia Gate and said to myself, "I will
commit a grave error if I fail to make salam at the tomb of Rasulullah S, for I do not
know whether or not I will see it again."

So I went to the room where 'Aishah was sitting at the grave. 'Alt * and al-'Abbas
4* were also present with al-Husayn sitting in 'All's lap and al-Hasan in al-'Abbis's
lap. They were reciting Suratul-An'am while 'All was reciting Surah Hud. I made
salam to Rasulullah ®.

'Alt 4b : O Ibn Quit, are you going back to Syria?

Ibn Qurt & : Yes, O cousin of Rasulullah 0. 1 think that once I reach there the two
armies will already be deeply embroiled in fighting. They will see me coming
without help or reinforcements. I really fear that they will become weak and
frightened. I wish that I could reach them before they fight so that I can at least
advise them and counsel them with patience.

'Ali 4> : So what is stopping you from asking 'Umar to make du'a for you? Do you
not know, Ibn Quit, that his du'a is never rejected and always reaches Allah and that
Rasulullah & said in his regard: "Were there to be another prophet after me it would
have been 'Umar." Is he not that man whose decisions corresponded to that of the

287

Futuhushdm

Quran until Rasulullah $& said, "Were punishment to fall from the sky to Earth, none
would escape it except 'Umar bin al-Khattab."

Do you not know that Allah revealed clear verses about him? Is he not ascetic, pious
and always engaged in worship? Does he not greatly resemble the prophet Nuh SS9?
Should he offer du'a on your behalf it would be answered.

21) Seven day journey in three days

Ibn Qurt ^ : I am well aware of all these virtues of 'Umar which you have
mentioned, but in addition I would like your du'a and the du'a of al-'Abbas, the
paternal uncle of Rasulullah S, especially here at the noble tomb of Rasulullah S.

Al-'Abbas <& raised his hand in supplication. 'All, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, 'Aishah (and
Hafsah and Umm Salamah fa who had also arrived) joined him. He prayed, "O Allah,
we seek intercession through this Chosen Prophet and selected Messenger through
whom Adam also sought intercession and then You forgave his error. O Allah, make
the road easy for 'Abdullah and fold up the long distances for him. Help the Sahabah
of Your Prophet with victory. You are the Hearer of Du'a."

He then said, "Go, 'Abdullah, for it is unlikely that Allah will reject the du'a of
'Umar, 'Abbas, 'Ali, al-Hasan, al-Husayn and the wives of Rasulullah S, especially
when they have interceded through the best of all creation."

Ibn Qurt narrates:

I departed overjoyed. I sat on my camel's saddle and traversed the desert, still happy
at the du'a of 'Ali, al-'Abbas and 'Umar. I left al-Madinah after 'Asr of the same day
that I had arrived.

When darkness fell and night cast its veil, I slackened the camel nose-rope but felt as
if it was flying off with me. I travelled like that for three days. At the time of Salatul
'Asr of the third day I reached al-Yarmuk and could hear the athan. I went to Abu
'Ubaydah's 4» tent, made my she-camel sit and made salam to him, having not seen
seen him for the last ten days.

Upon telling him about the du'a of 'Umar, 'Ali, al- Abbas, al-Hasan and al-Husayn fa
he said, " O Ibn Qurt, you have spoken the truth. Allah holds them to be noble and
does not reject their du'a. He then read the letter to the Muslims who were quite

288

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

satisfied and said, "O commander, there is none amongst us except that he seeks
martyrdom. Allah Most High is now sending it to us."

22) Sa'id bin 'Amir and his army

'Amr bin 'Ala narrates from Majid who narrates from the reliable narrators:

'Abdullah bin Qurt * left al-Madinah on Friday. After performing Salatul Fajr with
'Umar bin al-Khattab we were reciting from the Quran when suddenly we heard
shouts and terrifying sounds. Our hearts filled with fear and we rushed out of the
masjid to find 6,000 Yamanis from Sadwan, Saba and Hadramawt gathering for
Jihad. Jabir bin Khawal ar-Raba'i led them.

Their chiefs came walking and made salam to 'Umar bin al-Khattab who ordered
them to encamp at al-Madinah. That same night Sa'id bin 'Amir arrived with 1,000
horsemen from Makkah, at-Taif, Wadi an-Nakhlah and Thafiq. They also made
salam to 'Umar 4$> and camped opposite the Yamanis. On Sunday, 'Umar & came to
see to the weak ones and to equip the armies. He then tied a red flag onto a long spear
and gave it to Sa'id bin 'Amir.

Sa'id bin 'Amir narrates:

I intended departing but 'Umar 4& said, "Ibn 'Amir, wait until I have given you
advice."

When he returned on foot to give the advice, 'Uthman &, al-'Abbas &, 'All & and
'Abdurahman bin 'Awf & accompanied him. 'Umar 4* stood with the people around
him and said, "O Sa'id, I appoint you over this army, but that does not mean you are
the best of them unless you fear Allah. When you go, be lenient upon them as far as
possible. Do not verbally disgrace them, do not consider the youngsters low, do not
give undue preference to the strong, do not follow your personal desires, do not
travel through the deserts but choose the level, soft ground instead. Do not encamp
with them at the main routes. I leave Allah Most High to watch over you on my
behalf and on behalf of your men."

'Ali *fe : Listen to the instructions of the Commander of the Believers through whom
Allah completed forty (i.e. 'Umar 4& was about the fortieth person to embrace Islam
- translator's note) and through whom this Ummah is called Believers. He is that
man about whom Rasulullah S said: "If you obey him you will be on guidance and
the correct way."

289

Futuhushdm

Sa'id, go and when you meet Abu 'Ubaydah 4s and confront that army the like of
which does not exist elsewhere and you find matters too difficult then write to the
Commander of the Believers so that he can send me to turn the Christians upside
down in Syria, Allah willing.

Ibn 'Amir departed reciting:
'jr+i Jc^' b* t£*** J* J* *>** JL *"-> if* cr^f-i J-s '

fiPzY/z a« a/7M_y of honourable men we are travelling

On bellowing horses who are persevering.

To Jarrah 's lion-cub and those who were

unto our Prophet a companion

To help him and Allah will assist His religion.

Against every stubborn, accursed Disbeliever

Who denies Allah and worships the Cross Forever.

He travelled with all haste.

23) Sa'id's dream

Sa'id bin 'Amir narrates:

1 knew the cities and roads of Syria since I travelled there once or twice a year. I
travelled recklessly off the main routes following the stars. When I led the Muslims
out of al-Madinah I took the Busra Road. Having gone off the main road I ended up
lost, wary of the enemy and fearing for the Muslims. I had been avoiding the enemy
habitations and sticking to the desert as Allah had put it in my heart to be merciful to
His believing slaves. Once lost, I could not find the road again. It was as if I had
never travelled on it before. I stopped in confusion until the Muslims behind me
caught up with me but I did not tell them what was wrong, that is, that I had lost the
road. I was reciting, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good
except through Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty."

290

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

I wandered in that state of confusion for two days and nights until the Muslims began
to question me about that. I said to them, "I am on the right track."

On the tenth day of our departure from al-Madinah, a huge mountain became visible.
I scrutinised it but could not recognise it, so I said, "You have deceived the Muslims
but if that is the mountain of Ba'labakk then the road will easily be found."

The mountain was visible at the beginning of the day, but we only reached it at night.
As we neared it we came across a valley where there was a massive tree. Upon
examining it I recognised it and called out, "Good news. We have attained Syria and
victory for the Muslims."

Once we entered the valley we found it to be rough and roadless and this added to
the fatigue of the Muslims. Most of the Muslims were on foot, supporting each other
as they followed the camels and horses. When the Muslims saw the desolateness of
the valley and the rough path, they complained, "O Sa'id, we think that you have lost
the road and are taking us on the wrong path. Let us rest for a while in this valley for
this journey has really harmed us."

I gave them permission, so they went to drink from a gushing spring in the valley and
watered their camels and horses and let them graze from the leaves of the trees. Most
of the Muslims went to sleep while some engaged themselves in conveying
salutations upon Muhammad S. I was sitting amongst the sleeping ones to guard
them. I recited the Quran and was making du'a for safety when sleep overcame me.
I dreamt that I was in a garden with many trees and fruit. I was eating from its fruit
and drinking from its rivers. I also plucked the fruit to give to my companions. They
ate and I was happy. While I was in that state a lion suddenly sprang from amongst
the trees and roared right in my face, intending to rip me apart. Suddenly two giant
lions attacked the lion and brought it to the ground. It rumbled loudly and with that
I awoke with the sweetness of the fruit still in my mouth and the image of the lions
in my mind.

I interpreted the dream to mean that the Muslims would gain great booty which they
would then be prevented from, but would again triumph in the end. I said to myself,
"The garden perhaps represents martyrdom."

I continued to sit and read the Quran in a state of great anxiety when I heard a voice
call out from the right side of the valley:

291

Futuhushdm

^l— r— "— Jl j .»i— »— « 0^ o, 1 « • _ ,.< (^iLn-w* Vj ^-*- (j— • *-,;.,-» L-«

iVjS/l £_» JL_*J1 I j — ^-jL-k-jj jl — ij j»_ £_, <il > : .^, „.■.,.■■>.

arwj of the Guide, do not be frightened by this valley

Though it be rough and roadless.

There are no Jinn therein and it is quite enemyless.

Soon you will be treated like children with love and mercy.

Allah will grant you wealth and children aplenty.

Upon hearing this poem and the promised booty I prostrated out of thanks to Allah
and found the Muslims to have awoken due to the recitation of the poem. I
memorised one couplet of the poem while Sammah memorised the remaining three
which he recited to me. The Muslims were overjoyed at what they heard from the
unseen voice and were pleased with the promise of booty.

24) Capture of al-Jinan

We remained in the valley until morning when I led them in Salatul Fajr. At sunrise
we left the valley. By this time I recognised the land and mountain which was ar-
Raqim Mountain. I called out loudly, "Allahu Akbar!" The Muslims echoed my call
and asked, "What do you see, Ibn 'Amir?"

"We have reached the lands of Syria," I replied, "This is ar-Raqim Mountain."

(Where the Seven Companies slept for centuries - see Surah al-Kahf- translator's
note).

Because most of the men were uneducated bedouins, they queried, "What is ar-
Raqim?"

"Do you not know?" I exclaimed and told them the story which amazed them. I then
took them to the Cave where they performed Salah.

We continued until we approached 'Amman. From here I diverted to a village called
al-Jinan. The village-chiefs were at that time marching out of the village with their

292

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

wives and children. When the Muslims saw them they attacked without my
permission and took some of them as prisoners.

The rest returned to the village and took refuge in a fort. I went to the fort and called
out, "Woe unto you! To where were you marching before you ran back?" One of
them came and said, "O 'Arabs, we were going out, but you frightened us. The
governor of 'Amman had ordered us to go to 'Amman to be under his protection
there. O 'Arabs, will you grant us your rule and protection?"

"Yes," I replied and wrote out the treaty for them stipulating payment of 10,000
dinar. When we wished to leave they said, "Nikita, governor of 'Amman will
definitely put you to great difficulty. If you triumph over him it will be to our
mutual benefit."

"How do we overcome him?" I asked.

They replied, "King Bannes has ordered Nikita to take his men to join Constantine
at Caesarea. If you manage to reach and defeat him before he leaves you will acquire
a large booty."

"How many troops are there in 'Amman?" I asked.

"5,000," they replied, "but their hearts are filled with terror of you. They will never
be victorious."

"O Muslims," I called out, "What do you say about attacking the patrician of
'Amman and winning his booty?"

"As you wish," they replied. "For if Allah kills him at our hands it will be good for
the Muslims and a defeat for the Christians."

I asked the villagers, "Which road will they be passing through?"

They pointed out the Amorium Road. We continued until we reached another huge
valley where we hid for a day and night without anyone pitching up.

25) The dream fulfilled

In the morning I said, "O Muslims, 'Umar has sent us to reinforce Abu 'Ubaydah. To
fulfil that purpose is much better than sitting here. Leave now. May Allah have mercy
upon you. It will weaken and disgrace the Christians when we arrive with our 7,000
men."

293

Futuhushdm

They complained, "O Sa'id, we were looking forward to the booty so do not deprive
us."

While they were arguing a party of monks and priests appeared. They were wearing
fur and carrying crosses. Their heads were shaven in the middle. The Muslims rushed
at them and brought them back as prisoners.

Sa 'id : Who are you?

Chief Priest : We are the monks of these monasteries. We are going to Constantine
to pray for his victory.

Sa'id:

Go and pray as you like, but the prayer of the Disbelievers is
in vain! [40:50]

What news do you have of what is behind you?

Priest : Behind us the governor of 'Amman is coming with 5,000 Christian cavalry.

Sa'id : O Allah, make that booty for us. Listen old man, our Prophet $ has
prohibited us from harming the monks who remain in their monasteries. We would
release you but we fear that you will warn the enemy about us.

I then ordered the Muslims to tie them up which they did with their waist-bands.
Suddenly the 'Amman cavalry could be seen coming. Ahead of them were men on
foot who were removing the stones from the track. As soon as they came we attacked
them without even waiting to get our gear. We raised cries of, "La ilaha illallah
wallahu Akbar!" and slew the footmen to the last man.

When the patrician saw what the Muslims had done he ordered the cavalry to charge
and a heavy battle ensued. I saw the Muslims spreading death amongst the Christians
and calling out, "La ilaha illallah wallahu Akbar!" until the patrician fled in the
direction of 'Amman. His men followed him. Some of the Muslims went in pursuit
of them while others went to collect the booty. Nikita was far ahead of his men and
then stopped in order for them to catch up to him.

294

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

During that time a cavalry numbering about 1,000 came charging from behind them.
They held their bridles loose and spears fixed. Two horsemen who resembled lions
were in the lead. One of them was az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam 4& and the other al-Fadl
bin al-' Abbas 4&. They attacked and spread death amongst the Christians. Az-Zubayr
4» attacked Nikita who had halted under a cross and speared him right through the
heart, flinging him from his horse. Allah thus sped his soul to Hell. Al-Fadl advanced
striking down and killing the enemy.

When we arrived I thought that the Romans were fighting each other, but upon
hearing, "La ilaha illallah wallahu Akbar," being called out we said, "That is the
proclamation of Truth." So I plunged into the battle and heard al-Fadl proclaiming
his lineage, "I am the cousin of Rasulullah S."

By Allah! Not a single enemy escaped.

I said to al-Fadl &, "Ibn 'Abbas, praise be to Allah for you. Who amongst the
Sahabah of Rasullullah ill are with you?"

"Az-Zubayr bin al 'Awwam &, the son of the aunt of Rasullullah S, is with me," he
replied.

Az-Zubayr & came to me and said, "Ibn 'Amir, why did you not come to us? Salim
bin Nawfal al-'Adawi told us that you were supposed to be coming. We had bad
thoughts of what might have befallen you so Abu 'Ubaydah sent us to raid 'Amman.
Praise be to Allah for the safety of the Muslims and destruction of the Disbelievers."

Upon az-Zubayr's 4& orders the Muslims beheaded the enemy corpses and stuck the
heads on their spear-points. The heads amounted to 4,000 and the prisoners 1,000.
Sa'id released the monks and the Muslims went on to Abu 'Ubaydah &. When they
arrived their voices echoed with, "La ilaha illallah," and "Allahu Akbar". The other
Muslims responded in a like manner.

These calls confused the Romans and when they saw the arrival of the 8,000
Muslims carrying the Roman heads they became absolutely bewildered. When Sa'id
reported to Abu 'Ubaydah & about the victory and booty, the commander fell into
prostration out of thanks to Allah.

He then ordered the prisoners to be beheaded. They were taken and beheaded in sight
of the Romans.

295

Futuhushdm

Qutbah bin Suwayd narrates:

The Romans were informed that not one of the 'Amman garrison had survived.

26) Bannes's scheme

The Sahabah of Rasullullah S were greatly depressed at the capture of the five
Sahabah of Rasullullah S with Abu 'Ubaydah 4b being the most saddened of all. He
constantly wept and made du'a for their release. The five were brought before
Bannes, may Allah's curse and anger be upon him, who belittled them and said to
Jabalah, "Who are they?"

Jabalah : O King, they are from the Muslim army. They were a band of sixty, of
whom I killed the majority and captured these five. Now there remains none in the
army to be feared except one man who keeps them firm and launches their attacks.
He is the one who conquered Arakah, Palmyra, Hawran, Busra and Damascus. He is
the one who broke our ranks at Ajnadayn and chased Thomas and Herbius. He killed
them and captured Heraclius's daughter. He is Khalid bin al-Walid.

Bannes : I will devise some scheme to bring him to me and then I will kill him
together with these five prisoners.

Bannes summoned a Roman sage, Jarjah, who was fluent in 'Arabic and said to him,
"Jarjah, I am sending you to the 'Arabs. Tell them to send an envoy to us, but
stipulate that the man called Khalid must come."

He rode to the Muslim camp where he met Khalid 4b.

Khalid <&> : What do you want?

Jarjah : King Bannes has sent me to you to request that you send an envoy. It may
be that God stops the bloodshed between us.

Khalid 4& : I will be the envoy.

He took him to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b and informed him of his intention to go to Bannes.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : Abu Sulayman, go, may Allah keep you safe. Perhaps Allah will
guide them or perhaps he wants to surrender and pay Jizyah and then Allah will spare
bloodshed through you. The saving of one Muslim's blood is more beloved unto
Allah than all the Disbelievers put together.

296

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Khdlid 4fe : I seek Allah's aid.

He went to his tent where he put on a pair of Hijazi socks, his black turban, his
leather-belt and sword which he had seized from Musaylamah al-Kaththab at the
battle of Yamamah. He then ordered his slave, Hammam, to take his red tent made
of Taifi leather which was embossed with gold and decorated with silver ornaments.
He had bought it from the wife of Maysarah bin Masriiq al-' Absi for 300 dinars. It
was loaded onto a mule while Khalid 4& mounted his horse. As he was about to depart
Abu 'Ubaydah <& called out, "Abu Sulayman, take some Muslim men with you to
aid you."

Khdlid 4*> : I would like that, but I cannot force them for they owe me no obedience.
So you order whom you like.

Mu 'dth bin Jabal ^ : Abu Sulayman, you are of high rank. Were you to order us we
would obey for you are going in obedience to Allah and His Messenger &>.

Khalid 4b selected 100 Muhajirin and Ansar to accompany him. These included : al-
Mirqal bin 'Utbah bin Abi Waqqas; Shurahbil bin Hasanah 4b; Sa'id bin Zayd bin
'Amr bin Nufayl al-'Adawi; Maysarah bin Masruq al-'Absi; Qays bin Hubayrah al-
Muradi; Sahl bin 'Amr al-Amiri; Jarir bin 'Abdillah al-Bujali; al-Qa'qa' bin 'Amr at-
Tamimi; Jabir bin 'Abdillah al-Ansari; 'Ubadah bin as-Samit al-Khazraji; al-Aswad
bin Suwayd al-Mazini; Thul Kala' al-Himyari; al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad al-Kindi and
'Amr bin Madikarab az-Zubaydi. May Allah be pleased with them all. Khalid <$>
continued selecting such great personalities until the hundred were completed, each
of them willing to take on an entire army on his own.

They put on their good clothes and war-gear and threw their cloaks on top of that.
They then bound turbans on their heads and attached daggers to their waists and took
their swords. Finally they mounted their horses. Khalid & left with Mu'ath <&> on his
right, al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad al-Kindi & on his left and all the rest surrounding him.

27) Allah's mat

MuS'fli bin Jabal 4b narrates:

So we went proclaiming, "La ilaha illallah," and "Allahu Akbar."

297

Futuhushdm

Nasr bin Salim al-Mazint narrates:

I saw that as Khalid * and his men departed Abu 'Ubaydah & recited a verse of the
Quran, weeping until his tears flowed down his cheeks. I asked him, "O
commander, why do you weep?"

"O Ibn Salim," he answered, "By Allah! These are the helpers of the Din. If anything
should happen to even one of them under the command of Abu 'Ubaydah .&, then
what excuse can he offer to the Rabb of all the worlds and to the Commander of the
Believers, 'Umar bin al-Khattab?"

When Khalid 4b and his men arrived at the Roman camp they saw that it was spread
over a distance of five Farsakh (27.4 km).

Nawfal bin Dahyah narrates:

Khalid 4h and the 100 men dismounted. They walked confidently and dragged their
swords. They fearlessly went right through the ranks of attendants and patricians
fearing none of them until they reach Bannes who was sitting on his throne.
Cushions, rugs and brocade decorated the tent. When the Sahabah <& saw all this
beauty and pomp they declared Allah's greatness and refused to sit on the chairs that
were brought for them. They went to the extent of removing the rugs etc. and sitting
on the bare ground. Bannes smiled at this and said, "O 'Arabs, you refuse our
hospitality. Why did you remove the seats and sit on the bare ground? You showed
no etiquette towards us and trampled on our rugs."

Khalid ■& : To show etiquette to Allah is better than to show etiquette to you. The mat
of Allah, the Earth, is much purer than your filthy mat for our Prophet S has said,
"The Earth has been made a masjid and means of purification for me."

From the earth We have created you. To it We will return you
and then extract you a second time. [20:55]

298

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

'Asim bin Rawwah az-Zubaydi narrates from Ibn 'Abdillah ash-Shaybani who
narrates from Tarfah bin Shaybah al-Khawlani who narrates from his paternal
uncle, Jarlr, who was an ally of Khalid £>:

There was no intermediary between Khalid <& and Bannes. They spoke face-to-face.

Khalid 4fc : Bannes, I dislike to initiate the dialogue, so you say what you want to.
However, I do not care what you say, I will have an answer for you - whether you
speak first or I do.

Bannes : I begin praising God who made His soul, Christ, His Word, who made our
Emperor the best of all and who made our nation the best nation.

28) Bannes 's drivel

Khalid 4» was upset and cut him short. The translator reprimanded him, "O 'Arab
brother, do not interupt the words of the king. Observe due etiquette." Khalid 4h
however refused to keep silent.

Khalid 4& : Praise be to Allah who made us believers in our Prophet, your Prophet
and in fact all the Prophets and Who made our Commander as but one of us, were he
to claim to rule us we would depose him - we give him no rank over us except if He
fears Allah. We praise Him who made our Ummah that which orders the good,
forbids the bad, confesses sins, seeks forgiveness from sins and worships Allah alone
without ascribing any partner unto Him.

Bannes's face turned yellow but he kept silent for a while.

Bannes : Praise be to God who tested us and found us worthy, who relieved us from
poverty, who helped us against our enemies, who granted us dignity and prevented
all injury from us. We are not of those who become arrogant and proud due to the
blessings of God. O 'Arabs, a group of you will always prostrate before us, snatch
our hand-outs, follow us and our authority. We were good unto them, honoured them
and their down-trodden ones. We recognised their value and fulfilled our agreements
with them. We thought that all the 'Arab tribes would be aware of these policies and
would be grateful for the wonderful gifts we showered upon them. So when you
people came with all your horses and men we but thought that you were coming to
seek what your brethren always sought, but alas, we were wrong. You came killing
men, enslaving women, plundering wealth, destroying buildings and seeking to drive
us out of your own lands and conquer everything. Others also attempted this before

299

Futuhushdm

you who were stronger, more numerous, better armed and richer than you but we
always threw them out, unsuccessful, afraid and half-dead. We first did this to the
Emperor of Persia. God sent him back in disgrace. Similarly we dealt with the kings
of the Turks, the Jaramiqah and others.

As for you, there is no nation less significent or more despicable than you. You are
wretched, suffering bedouins who know nothing but poetry. Inspite of all that you
commit oppression not only in your own lands but now come to our lands as well,
whereas we are a mighty nation, powerful and strong enough to stop you. Now you
come from your rainless, famine-stricken country and what havoc you wreak. You
mount horses which do not belong to you. You wear clothing which does not belong
to you. You use the daughters of Rome, the young white girls, and enslave them. You
eat food which is not yours. You wrongfully fill your hands with our gold, silver and
fine goods.

Now we meet you in this state that you still have all that you have stolen from our
people and co-religionists. Keep it! We demand nothing back from you, nor do we
even rebuke you. All we ask is that you withdraw from our lands. If you refuse we
will wipe you out. If you are agreeable to peace we will give each of your soldiers
100 dinar and a robe. For Abu 'Ubaydah, your general, 1,000 dinar and for your
Khalifah, 'Umar, 10,000 dinar. This is on the condition that you vow never to return.

29) No brotherhood with Christians

Bannes thus sometimes threatened and sometimes bribed while Khalid 4fe remained
silent until he had completed.

Khalid 4k : The king has spoken and has spoken well while we listened. Now we will
speak while he listens.

All praise belongs to Allah besides whom there is no other deity.

Bannes (stretching his hands to the sky) : Yes, it is as you say, O 'Arab.

Khalid ■*> : I bear witness that there is no deity besides Allah and that Muhammad is
His Slave and Messenger.

Bannes : I do not know if Muhammad is a messenger or not. It may or may not be as
you claim.

Khalid^. : Every man prefers his own religion. The best moment is that wherein the
Rabb of all the worlds is recognised.

300

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Bannes (speaking in his language to his people) : This is an intelligent man who
speaks words of wisdom.

Khdlid <& : What did you tell your people now?

(He told him).

Khdlid <$> : Allah Most High alone is to be praised for whatever intelligence I may
have been granted. I have heard our Prophet Muhammad saying,

"When Allah created intelligence, gave it form and limits. He said, 'Come forward'
so it came forward. Then he said, 'Go back' so it went back. Allah Most High then
said, 'By My Honour and Majesty! I have not created a creation more beloved unto
me than you. Through you will my obedience be attained and my Paradise entered. '"

Bannes : If you had intelligence and understanding in this matter, you would not have
brought all these men with you.

Khdlid 4« : I brought them to consult with.

Bannes : You claim that inspite of your sharp mind, deep insight and wise opinion
you still need to consult with others?

Khdlid &> : Certainly! Allah Most Honourable and Majestic has ordered our Prophet
Muhammad to do this. He says in His Honourable Book :

Consult them in the affair and then when you have reached a
decision place your reliance upon Allah. [3:159]

The Prophet S said, "A man who recognises his worth is not destroyed nor is a
Muslim who consults destroyed. "

So even if I am intelligent and wise as you claim yet I am not independent of the
opinions of my companions.

Bannes : Is there anyone in your army equal to you in wisdom and intelligence?

Khdlid 4& : Yes, there are more than 1,000 such men whose views and consultation
cannot be ignored.

301

Futuhusham

Bannes : We never thought that about you people. We heard that you are a greedy,
ignorant nation bereft of all intelligence. You attack each other and loot each other's
wealth.

Khalid^ : Yes, that was the state of most of us until Allah sent our Prophet $ to us.
He guided us, showed us the correct way and made us understand the difference
between good and evil, guidance and misguidance.

Bannes : Khalid, your wisdom and insight really amazes me. I would love to have
you as my brother and intimate friend.

Khalid <$> : It would be an occasion of great joy were your words to be fulfilled. You
will be most fortunate and we will never separate from each other.

Bannes : How is it to be achieved?

Khalid «fc : Say, "I bear witness that there is no deity besides Allah and that
Muhammad is his Slave and Messenger about whom 'Isa bin Maryam had
prophesied." Once you have done that you will be my brother and I yours. We will
never separate except through some calamity.

Bannes : You have called me to leave my religion and enter yours, but that is
impossible.

Khalid 4*> : Then it also impossible for us to be brothers for as long as. you remain on
your astray religion.

30) Khalid 4h responds to Bannes

Bannes : I will address you modestly as a brother. Answer my proposals and I will
listen.

Khalid & : We already know of all that you have mentioned with regard to your
people being wealthy, honoured, powerful, strong against enemies and established in
the lands. We also know about the generosity you have mentioned which you show
to your 'Arab neighbours. However, you have done all that simply to maintain your
opulence with a view to protecting yourselves and children and ultimately to increase
your wealth and prestige. So your empire increases and you impose your imperialist
policies on whomever you please.

As for your saying that we are poor and herd camels and sheep, what of it? Most of
us do this and he who herds is of higher status amongst us than he who does not herd.

302

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

We do not deny when you say that we are poor, wretched and suffering. That is
because Allah has made us 'Arabs inhabit a waterless, treeless land wherein there is
but little cultivation. In pre-Islamic times we were all ignorant. A man would own
nothing except his horse, sword, camels and sheep. The strong would eat the weak.
None were safe from each other except during the four sacred months. Instead of
worshipping Allah we worshipped idols who neither hear, nor see, nor benefit. We
would bow down to them and carry them. We were on the edge of a pit of fire.
Whoever died amongst us died as a polytheist and would go to Hell. Those living
denied their Rabb and broke family ties.

Then Allah sent unto us a Prophet as a guide, one who is guided and as a prophet and
messenger. We all knew his worth and noble lineage. He was sent as a pious leader
who proved Islam and refuted the Polytheist. He brought the clear Quran and the
Straight Path and with him Allah brought the process of prophethood to an end. He
ordered us to worship Allah and not to ascribe any partners unto Him. He forbade us
from having any helper besides Allah and from ascribing any wife, son, partner or
equal unto Allah. He taught us that we should not bow down to the sun, the moon,
light, fire, cross or altar. We should bow down to none except Allah alone who has
no partner and should acknowledge the Prophet S, his Sahabah and family.

Allah revealed to him His speech through which our master guided us. We accepted
and obeyed him. Amongst his orders is that we should wage Jihad against those who
do not accept our religion, who do not say as we say, who deny Allah and who
ascribe partners unto Him whereas He is too grand for such a thing and neither sleep
nor slumber overtakes Him.

Whoever follows us will be our brother and will have the same rights and obligations
as the rest of us. Whoever refuses Islam will have to pay Jizyah, humbly with his own
hand. Then his blood, children and wealth will be safe. Whoever refuses both Islam
and Jizyah will face our swords until Allah decides the outcome, and He is the best
decision-maker.

We call you to these three options besides which there is no other choice. Either say,
"We bear witness that there is no deity except Allah alone Who has no partner and
that Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger," or pay Jizyah. Adult males have to pay
it annually. However, pre-adolescents, women and monks who seclude themselves in
their monasteries are not liable to pay it.

Bonnes : Is there any other obligation after saying, "There is no deity besides Allah"?

303

Futuhushdm

Khdlid 4» : Yes. You must establish Salah, pay Zakah, perform Hajj to the Sacred
House, wage Jihad against those who deny Allah, order the good, forbid the evil,
befriend for the sake of Allah and make enemies for the sake of Allah. If you refuse
then there will be war between us until Allah grants the Earth to whomsoever He
wishes, but the result is always in favour of those who fear Him.

Bonnes : Do as you please for we will never abandon our religion or pay Jizyah. As
for your saying that He gives the Earth to whomever He likes, that is true for once
upon a time this land belonged neither to us nor to you, but to another nation. We
fought them until we took it from them. So now there will be war between us. Come
and fight in the name of God.

Khdlid * : You cannot be more eager for war than us. It is as if I already see you
defeated with victory ahead of us. You will be dragged with a rope around your neck
in disgrace and humiliation. You will be brought before 'Umar bin al-Khattab who
will behead you.

Bannes became furious. When the Romans saw that, they wanted to kill Khalid *
but awaited Bannes's orders.

Bannes : By Christ! I will now bring your five captured men and behead them in
front of you.

Khdlid 4t : Listen to what I say, Bannes! You are indeed disgusting enough to do such
a deed. Know that they are of us and we are of them. I swear that if you kill them
then I will kill you with this sword of mine and each one of my men will kill one or
more of your men.

Khalid <&> then sprang from his place, unsheathing his sword. His men imitated him
and shouted, "La ilaha illallah Muhammad Rasulullah S!" and sprang like camels or
rather like beasts of prey. They sought to kill and were convinced that they would be
martyred.

31) Why this book was compiled

I (al-Waqidi) swear by Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and Who is the
Knower of the invisible and visible! I have evaluated and narrated these reports on
the basis of utter honesty so that I can establish the great value of the Sahabah of
Rasulullah H and refute the Shi'is who abandon both the Sunnah and what is
obligatory. Allah has willed that were it not for them then those lands would not have

304

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

been in the possession of the Muslims and knowledge of this Din would not have
spread. Allah be praised at their deeds! They waged Jihad as it should be waged.
They were firm in confronting the enemy. They strove to their utmost. They helped
this Din until they tore Disbelief from its seat and it declined. This is a well
established fact. The King Who has all power has said about them:

J^ ur 4 pT?j >*+*■ <>** o^ r^

Amongst them are those who have fulfilled their vows and
amongst them are those who await. [33:23]

32) The prisoners are released

Muslim bin 'Abdil-Hamid narrates from his grandfather, Rati' bin Mazin:

I was with Khalid 4&> the day he went to Bannes. We were in the tent when we drew
our swords to attack them. We did not have any regard for the armies of Rome and
were certain that we would be resurrected from that spot.

Once Bannes understood our reality and death came flying from our swords he called
out, "Respite! Khalid, do not be hasty in destruction. I know that you said those
words in your capacity as envoy and envoys should be tolerated and not killed. I only
uttered those words to test you and to see what you would do. Now I will seek no
revenge from you. Return to your camp and prepare for battle until God grants
victory to whom he chooses.

Khalid 4fe> (sheathing his sword) : Bannes, what are you going to do to the
prisoners?

Bannes : Out of honour of you I am freeing them. They may help you, but you will
still be helpless against us tomorrow.

Khalid *fc was delighted and told him to free them. After their chains were let loose
he wanted to depart but Bannes said, "Khalid, I wish things were better between us.
I want to ask you a favour."

Khalid 4& : Ask what you will.

305

Futuhushdm

Bannes : I like that red tent of yours. Gift it to me and take whatever pleases you in
the camp in return.

Khdlid & : By Allah! It pleases me no limit that you ask for something I own. It is
yours. As for your offer to take something from the camp I have no need for it.

Bannes : God be praised! How generous you are.

Khdlid & : You are also generous to us in releasing our men from captivity.

He then set out surrounded by his men. His horse was brought to him and they all
mounted their horses. Bannes ordered his men and attendants to escort the Muslims
to their camp and they did this.

Khalid &> and his men reached Abu 'Ubaydah 4& and said salam to him. The Muslims
were overjoyed at the release of the Sahabah of Rasulullah & and Khalid * then
reported to Abu 'Ubaydah & all that had transpired.

Khdlid & : I swear that Bannes only released them out of fear for our swords.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4»: He is a wise man except that the Devil has overpowered his wits.
On what terms did you depart?

Khdlid 4fe : That we will confront them tomorrow so that Allah may grant victory to
whomever He desires to.

33) The Muslims prepare for battle

Thereupon Abu 'Ubaydah 4» gathered all his senior officers and stood to deliver a
sermon to them. He praised Allah, made the appropriate mention of Rasulullah II and
then informed them of the impending enemy attack the following morning. He thus
advised them to get ready. The Muslims went about encouraging each other.

Khalid 4» went to his elite force and said, "Know that these Disbelievers against
whom Allah granted you victory in many places have now mobilised an army against
you from all their lands. I entered their camp and found them to be as numerous as
ants. However, they may have numbers but have no hearts, nor do they have Him to
help them against you. This will indeed be the decisive battle between you and them.
The battle is set to commence tomorrow morning. You being men of battle and
combat, should express your feelings now. May Allah have mercy upon you."

Muslims : O commander, battle is our goal and martyrdom in the Path of Allah Most

306

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

High is our happiness. We will be patient in every combat, stab and cut until Allah
decides between us. Verily He is the Best Decider.

Khalid 4& was pleased with this reply and exclaimed, "May Allah guide you and
show you the correct way."

Every Muslim spent the night arranging his gear, equipment and weapons. They
spent the night overjoyed at the prospect of Jihad and reward from Allah but also
fearing His punishment. In the morning, several proclaimers called out the athan
which resulted in a loud and vocal declaration of the oneness of Allah's Being. The
Muslims performed their wudu with the utmost care and then prayed behind Abu
'Ubaydah <&. Thereafter they formed three joined rows to go against the enemy, the
one in front not able to see the one at the back. Khalid & went to ask Abu
'Ubaydah <&, "O commander, whom do you appoint over the left-wing?"

He either replied, "Kinanah bin Mubarak al-Kinani," or '"Amr bin Ma'dikarab,"
Allah knows best which one. So he gave that one a bow, putting him in charge of the
left-wing and then left upon Abu 'Ubaydah's & orders.

Fadalah bin 'Amir narrates from Musa bin 'Awf who narrates from his
grandfather, Yusuf bin Ma'n:

Kinanah was a brave boy who was skilled in war-tactics. The following illustrates his
bravery, sternness and horsemanship. He would leave the district of his tribe, Banu
Kinanah and go to the district of enemy 'Arabs. He would call out to them
announcing his name, and they would come out on horseback to fight him. If he
defeated them then his object was attained and if he saw that they would overcome
him he would dismount and run away. They were not able to catch anything of him
except his dust.

After Abu 'Ubaydah <& had appointed him he went to where he ordered him to go.
Abu 'Ubaydah 4» then said to Khalid &>, "I am appointing you in overall command
of both cavalry and infantry, so choose your deputies as you like." Khalid 4» said, "I
will appoint such a man who has no equal."

He then called Hashim bin 'Utbah bin Abi Waqqas and said to him, ."The
commander appoints you over the infantry."

Abu 'Ubaydah <& : Dismount, Hashim. May Allah have mercy on you. I will also join
you.

307

Futuhushdm

34) The two sides mobilise

While Abu 'Ubaydah <& was mobilising the troops and arranging their formations,
Khalid & said to him, "Send for the flag-bearers and tell them to listen to me." So he
sumoned ad-Dahhak bin Qays and said to him, "Ibn Qays, hurry to the flag-bearers
and say to them, 'The commander, Abu 'Ubaydah 4&>, commands you to listen to
Khalid 4& and obey him.'"

Ad-Dahhak thus went to the flag-bearers, reaching Mu'ath bin Jabal & last.
Mu'ath 4& replied, "I hear and obey" and then turned to his men to say, "You have
been placed under a man who is blessed in his attacks. Do not oppose him in what
he orders you to do."

He said that intending the well-being of the Muslims and hoping for reward from
Allah.

Ad-Dahhak bin Qays narrates:

I said to Mu'ath &, "You utter very weighty words about Khalid *!"

"I only utter that which I know about him," replied Mu'ath <&.

"May Allah be praised for him!"

I reported to Khalid & how Mu 'ath & had praised him. He praised him in return and
said, "He is my brother for the sake of Allah. He and his companions have gone
ahead and Khalid &, is unable to catch them."

I returned to Mu'ath * and narrated Khalid's & words of praise. He exclaimed, "By
Allah! I love him for the sake of Allah. I hope that Allah will reward him for his good
intentions and well-wishing towards the Muslims."

Once ad-Dahhak had gone to the flag-bearers telling them of Abu 'Ubaydah's 4&
instructions to obey Khalid &, Khalid & went between the ranks, stopping at each
flag to say, "O people of Islam, patience is the sign of firm resolution and bravery.
Weak-heartedness and cowardice are causes for defeat. It is Allah's responsibility to
help the patient man against his enemy for Allah is with him. Whoever is patient at
the edge of swords will be honoured by Allah when he meets Him and will be shown
gratitude for his action and effort. Allah loves those who are grateful."

He gave this speech at every flag. He then gathered to himself all the patient, fierce
warriors and those who had participated with him in combat and divided them into

308

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

four squadrons. He appointed Qays bin Hubayrah al-Muradi over the first squadron
and said to him, "You are an 'Arab horseman. You are in charge of this cavalry, follow
whatever I do."

He then appointed and instructed Maysarah bin Masruq and 'Amir bin at-Tufayl 4&>
in a like manner, taking personal command of the elite advance force.

By sunrise all the military formations had been completed.

On the other side, Bannes ordered the Romans to get all their decorations and gear.
They did so, except that the Muslims were faster in getting ready. A party of Romans
advanced towards the Muslims and saw the Muslims as if they were a single solid
structure with birds shading them. Their ranks were all linked together with their
spears forming a thicket of fixed points. At this sight Allah flung terror into their
hearts.

Bannes continued his preparations and placed the Christian 'Arabs of Ghassan,
Lakhm and Jutiham as the vanguard. Jabalah was again in command of them. A
silver cross weighing five Ritl was placed before him. It was plated with gold and
had at each of the four branches a jewel glittering like stars.

Sinan bin Aws ar-Raba'i narrates from 'Adi bin al-Harith al-Hamdani who was
from those who participated in the conquest of Syria from beginning to end:

Bannes formed thirty rows each of which equalled the entire Muslim army. He sent
priests and monks amongst his men to recite the Bible and sing hymns and erected
numerous flags, banners and crosses.

35) Romanus and the patrician

Once the Roman ranks were arranged a patrician emerged on a grey horse. He was
heavily-built and wore golden armour and decorated upper-body armour. Around his
neck was a jewel-encrusted gold cross. He was of high rank and a courtier of
Heraclius. He started shouting in Greek in a voice like thunder. The Muslims
realised that he must be challenging them to a duel but hesitated to go. Khalid 4»
called out, "O Sahabah of Rasulullah S, this uncircumcised Christian challenges you
to duel him but you hesitate. If you do not go then Khalid <& himself will."

He was about to leave when a Muslim horseman mounted on a giant grey Turkish
horse resembling the Christian's, rode to the patrician. He was wearing good upper-

309

Futuhusham

body armour and excellent gear. None of Khalid's & men recognised him so he
instructed Hammam, "Go and investigate who this is from amongst the Muslims and
to which nation and tribe he belongs."

Hammam went out to him and just as the stranger was nearing the Christian he called
out, "O man, who are you from amongst the Muslims? May Allah have mercy on
you."

"I am Romanus, governor of Busra," he replied. When Khalid 4& was informed he
said, "O Allah, bless him and increase his intention."

The patrician recognised Romanus and they spoke in Greek.

Patrician : Romanus, how is it that you abandoned your religion and apostatised to
these people?

Romanus : The religion I have entered is noble and glorious. Whoever enters it is
fortunate. Whoever opposes it is astray.

The two then flung themselves at each other in a lengthy duel which astonished both
parties. The patrician caught Romanus off-guard and managed to strike a blow which
injured him and caused blood to flow.

The blow affected Romanus so he turned back to the Muslims. The patrician came in
pursuit, not slackening in the least. He was about to reach Romanus when the Muslim
left- and right-wings started encouraging their man. This gave Romanus courage and
dismayed the patrician. The Roman then turned and cut short his chase.

Romanus entered the Muslim ranks with blood gushing from his face. A group of
Muslims took him and bandaged his wounds. They thanked him for his action,
promised him Allah's forgiveness and congratulated him on his safe return.

Romanus's defeat made the patrician even more haughty. He uttered harsh words and
challenged the Muslims to duel him. Maysarah bin Masriiq intended responding but
Khalid 4& stopped him, saying "Maysarah, I prefer that you stay. You are an old man
while he is a heavily-built brave youth. I do not want you to go, for a youth usually
overpowers an old man. A single strand of hair of a Muslim is more beloved unto
Allah than all the lives of those who do not believe."

Maysarah then returned to his post.

310

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

'Amir bin at-Tufayl 4» then wished to go and said, "0 Commander, you have
exaggerated the greatness of this low Christian and placed fear in the hearts of the
Muslims."

Khdlid 4b : Horsemen recognise their peers in battle whose bravery and strength
cannot be hidden from them. You cannot overcome him for the bravery that he has
displayed shows him to be a great horseman from amongst them. Go back to your
post."

'Amir 4t returned without arguing.

36) Qays and the patrician

The patrician continued issuing his challenge, so al-Harith bin 'Abdillah al-Azdi
went to Khalid & and said, "O commander I am going out to him."

"I swear," replied Khalid 4», "that you are quite intrepid, strong and fierce. I know
you to be quite brave. If you want to go, go in the name of Allah and be resolute."

Al-Harith took his gear and was about to depart when Khalid 4* called out, "Be
careful, O slave of Allah, I want to ask you something."

Al-Hdrith : Ask.

Khdlid 4t : Have you engaged in a duel before this?

Al-Hdrith : No.

Khdlid 4i> : Then go back for you are inexperienced while he is experienced. He has
tasted war and war has tasted him. I want a man who is equal in insight to him to go
against him.

Khalid 4i looked at Qays bin Hubayrah who said, "Abu Sulayman, if you are
hinting at me then I will gladly duel him."

Khdlid 4» : Go forth in the name of Allah for He is adequate. Allah Most High will
help you against him.

Qays rode his horse until it calmed down and then allowed it to trot towards the
patrician. He shouted, "In the name of Allah and through the blessings of Rasulullah
S." When the patrician saw his action he realised that it was a strong horseman from
the Muslims and headed towards him. They attacked each other. Qays struck at the

311

Futuhushdm

Christian's head who promptly protected himself with his shield. The sword cut right
through the shield and became stuck in the Roman's helmet. Qays tried to extract it,
but it remained firm. After these two blows they clashed and the Roman giant went
at Qays intending to capture him. Qays on the other hand fasted and stood in salah at
night after he had returned from the wars against the apostates making him very thin.
He realised that he was about to be defeated and sought some strategy against the
enemy. However, since his sword was lost he galloped away intending to get another
sword from the Muslims and return although he had already lost hope. The Roman
screamed and chased him. Qays then slowed down and said to himself, "Martyrdom
is your desire after all, so why do you flee from this Christian?"

When he turned back KMlid & shouted at him, "Qays, return and leave this to me. I
beg you in the name of Allah and His Rasul."

Qays : KMlid, you have begged me in the name of two great beings, but can you
guarantee me that if I return you can increase my life-span?

Khdlid 4* : No.

Qays : Then I cannot flee and become an inmate of Hell. Rather I will be patient and
attain Allah's pardon

He then turned to his opponent without a sword, but he drew a dagger kept at his
waist. KMlid 4b then called out, "Who will deliver this sword to Qays in order to
earn divine reward?"

"I, Abu Sulayman," volunteered 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr 4*.

"By Allah! O Ibn Abi Bakr," exclaimed KMlid 4b, "You are the right man," and
handed him the sword.

37) 'Abdurahman 4fe and the patrician

'Abdurahman 4fc took the sword and carried it to Qays. When the Romans saw him
with Qays they thought that he had come to help Qays against their man, so another
patrician came and joined the first one to help him against the Muslims.
'Abdurahman 4s, gave Qays the sword and stayed there with him. The second
patrician began to speak to him in a language he did not comprehend so he said,
"Woe unto you! What are you saying? We do not understand your speech." A
translator then arrived and said, "O 'Arabs! Do you not claim to be people of justice
and correctness?"

312

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

'Abdurahman 4&> : Certainly.

Translator : We see no justice when two of you come against one of us.

'Abdurahman & : I only came to give my companion a sword and then return. Were
100 of you to come out against one of us we would not be worried. You are now three
men. I am enough to take on all three of you.

When the translator informed the patrician of that he looked distrustfully at
'Abdurahman &..

'Abdurahman 4& : Qays, you are tired Rest and watch what happens between me and them.

He then attacked the patrician who had been speaking to him and speared him
through the upper chest until the spear-point penetrated through his back and he fell
down dead. The two remaining Christians came to attack him while Qays come to
help him. 'Abdurahman «#> said, "No, I implore you in the name of Rasulullah S and
Abu Bakr to let me fight these two alone. If I am slain then you are my partner in
reward and convey my salam to 'Aishah and tell her, 'Your brother has joined your
husband and father.'"

So Qays stayed back, amazed at his action.

'Abdurahman &> thrust his spear at the first Christian. The spear point broke off,
stuck in the Roman's armour. So 'Abdurahman *&> threw away the spear and
unsheathed his sword. He stood up on his saddle and struck such a blow at the Roman
which split him in two pieces. The translator stood stunned and confused, staring at
'Abdurahman 4&>, perplexed at his valour. Qays also stood up out of amazement so
'Abdurahman 4a said to him, "What has made you stand, Qays?" and then killed the
Roman in a single blow. When the Romans saw what had happened to their men they
said, "These 'Arabs are nothing but devils."

38) The patrician's dream

When Bannes was informed, he said to his people, "Caesar really knew these people
best. I now know that a difficult situation is to come on you. If you do not attack them
with great numbers you will have no chance." A patrician then came to him and
whispered for a long time in his ear. Bannes's face turned yellow and then the
patrician left again. He remained as silent as if he were dumb. They questioned him
as to what the patrician had said but he would not say anything.

313

Futuhushdm

Someone who had witnessed the scene went to ask Jabalah for an explanation. He
explained: When Bannes was told of the three, including the first patrician, he said,
"They are helped against you." The patrician then came and said in his ear, "O king,
what you say is true. Last night I dreamt that men mounted on grey and pie-bald
horses descended from the sky. They were completely armed and surrounded the
'Arabs whom we faced. None of us would come out against them except that they
would kill him until they had killed most of us. I think that they are the same men. I
now see how one of them killed three of us. They are certainly helped against us from
the sky."

This broke Bannes 's heart and he would not reply to anyone. The people gathered to
question him as to what the patrician had told him, but he would not inform them.
After persistent questioning he said as if he were delivering a sermon, "O people of
this religion, if you do not fight you will be losers and Christ's wrath will fall upon
you. God remains the Helper and Defender of this Faith. God has ample proof against
you in that He sent a Messenger and Book unto you. That Messenger did not hanker
after the world and he ordered you not to hanker after it. In His Book He
commanded you not to oppress for He neither loves oppression nor oppressors. Now
that you are hankering after the world, oppressing and opposing Him, He is helping
your enemies against you. What excuse can you offer your Creator for abandoning
the command of your Prophet and what has been revealed in the Book of your Lord?
These 'Arabs who are facing you desire to kill your warriors and capture your
children and women. Yet, you still remain in disobedience and sin, not fearing the
Knower of the unseen. If God should snatch your Empire from your hands and grant
victory to your enemy then that is only fair and just on His part, for you neither order
good nor forbid evil."

Bannes had ordered the patrician who had seen the dream to keep it concealed. As
for Qays and 'Abdurahman <& they took the spoils of the three Romans and returned
to the Muslim camp where they gave the spoils to Abu 'Ubaydah <$.. He said to them,
"Whoever kills a horseman keeps the spoils - that is our order from 'Umar."

They took the spoils back.

Qays remained stationed where Khalid & had positioned him while 'Abdurahman 4»
went out to the battlefield between the two parties. He had mounted the grey Turkish
horse of the patrician he had killed but found that it did not proceed the way 'Arab
horses do so he returned and changed it. He first attacked the right-wing where he
caused much confusion and killed two horsemen. He returned to attack the centre
then the left-wing where he was showered with arrows.

314

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

A Roman came out against him and was killed after a battle lasting an hour. When
another came he killed him too. Khalid & saw this and exclaimed, "O Allah! Oversee
him with Your Eye and protect him for ' Abdurahman has started the war on his own."

He then called out, '"Abdurahman, upon oath, return now." So he returned due to
Khalid's * oath.

39) The first martyrs

Hizam bin Ghanam narrates:

I said to someone who had participated in al- Yarmuk, "Did women participate with
you in the battle?" "Yes" he replied, "Amongst them was Asma bint Abi Bakr - the
wife of az-Zubayr bin al-' Awwam & - Khawlah bint al-Azwar, Nasibah bint Ka'b,
Umm Aban - the wife of 'Ikramah bin Abi Jahl, 'Izzah bint 'Amir bin 'Asim ad-
Dumari - who fought with her husband, Maslamah bin 'Awf ad-Dumari - Ramlah
bint Tulayhah az-Zubayri, Ru'lah, Umamah, Zaynab, Hind, Ya'mur, Lubna and
others like them - may Allah be pleased with all of them for they fought in a way
which is certain to please Allah and His Rasul H.

'Abdul Malik bin 'Abdil Hamid who witnessed al- Yarmuk narrates:

We experienced light fighting on the first day because Bannes only ordered ten rows
to attack us after 'Abdurahman 4s> had killed whom he had killed. The Muslims
retaliated and the fighting began in earnest. Abu 'Ubaydah & was standing and
watching and thought that even though Bannes had not yet personally attacked,
matters were bad enough. He said, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to
do good except through Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty." Then he recited:

Those to whom the people say, "The people have gathered
against you, so fear them, " their faith but increases and they

315

Futuhushdm

say, "Allah is sufficient for us and the best disposer of affairs. "

[7:173]

The battle continued from midday until sunset. The two parties did not separate until
night-fall. They did not recognise each other except by calling out code-words and
each 'Arab tribe called out its tribal name. Thus each group returned to its camp. The
Muslim women met the returning men. They wiped their hair on their husbands'
faces saying, "Glad tidings of Jannah, O friend of Allah." The Muslims spent the
night in a happy and good state for there were few dead from both camps on the first
day. A handful of Romans had been killed while ten Muslims were martyred. Two
martyrs were from Hadramawt: Mazin and Sarim; three martyrs were from 'Usfan:
Rafi', Mujli and 'Ali; one was an Ansari: 'Abdullah bin al-Akhzam; three were of
Bujaylah; one was of Murad tribe: Suwayd, the nephew of Qays bin Hubayrah.

40) The women of Jannah are calling me

Qays was troubled when his nephew went missing. Supposing him to be amongst
those killed, he went with his tribesmen to search for him but they could not find him.
When they intended to return they saw a fire coming from the direction of the
Romans. They were looking for a patrician's body. Qays said to his people,
"Extinguish your fire for by Allah I will avenge my nephew on these people."

They extinguished their fire and sat amongst the corpses preparing for combat. 100
highly equipped Romans eventually appeared. On the other hand, Qays had only
seven men with him. His tribesmen said, "They are 100 while we are only seven and
are very tired."

"Then you can go back," retorted Qays, "I will seek death and nothing else. I will
wage Jihad in the Path of Allah as it should be waged."

They were astonished at his words and stayed with him as only noble people can.

The Romans were searching the corpses and paused at the corpse of the patrician
whom 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr had killed in the first duel. As they carried the
corpse and turned towards their camp, Qays, followed by his men, shouted.
Bewildered, the Romans threw down the corpse as the Muslims began working their
swords amongst them and massacred them. Each time Qays hit he declared, "This is
for my nephew." Qays personally killed sixteen while his men killed most of the rest
and the survivors fled.

316

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

That accomplished, Qays started searching for his nephew in the direction of the
Roman camp. He heard a groan and upon approaching the source, found it to be his
nephew, Suwayd bin Bahram al-Muradi. Upon recognising Qays he wept.

Qays : What makes you weep, my nephew?

Suwayd : O my uncle, I was chasing the Romans when one of them turned and
speared me through my chest. Now I am experiencing through it something amazing.
The virgin damsels of Jannah are standing opposite me awaiting my soul's departure.

Qays (weeping) : Man has his set time. Perhaps there is yet time for you, my nephew.

Suwayd : By Allah! Hasten, uncle, if you are able to then take me to the Muslim camp
so that I may die in the Muslim camp, not here.

Qays : Certainly.

Qays bin Hubayrah narrates:

I carried Suwayd on my back to the Muslim camp and made for his tent.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4» heard of Qays's arrival so he went to him and saw the boy dying.
He went to sit at his head and wept and all the Muslims wept with him.

Abu 'Ubaydah *&> : How is your condition, my nephew?

Suwayd : By Allah! In goodness and forgiveness. May Allah reward Muhammad S
on our behalf well. He was true to us in what he said, "These women of Jannah are
calling and staring at me."

He then died. We did not sleep until we had buried him.

When Qays informed Abu 'Ubaydah & of the Romans who had been killed that night
he was extremely pleased and took it as an omen of victory. The Muslims spent the
night reciting the Quran, performing Salah and making du'a for help and victory.

41) The good character of the Romans v

When Bannes returned to his camp the patricians, priests and monks came to him and
presented him with food. However, the patrician's dream troubled him so much that
he could not eat a morsel. In fact, he was ready to abandon the whole struggle and
pay Jizyah but realised that matters were not in his hands. The princes, priests,

317

Futuhushdm

patricians and monks came to him and said, "What ails the king that he does not eat?
If it his sadness at those killed and the situation of the battle, well that is simply the
fortune of war - one day it is against you, the next day for you. O king, they had the
upper hand until now and we will not rule them, but will attack them and eliminate
every one of them."

Bonnes : You can only be victorious if you do not change your religion and tyrannise
in the Empire. Those are the reasons why the 'Arabs have overcome you.

Roman : I have lived years following the same religion as you. I owned 100 sheep
which my son used to herd for me. One of your senior officials came and pitched his
tent nearby. He looted what he wanted to of the sheep while his men took the rest.
My wife then went to him to complain. Upon seeing her he called for her where she
remained for a long time. Her son therefore went to the tent to find him raping his
mother. When he screamed the patrician had him executed. I then came for my son
and wife. He gave orders for my slaying as well but the sword struck my hand only
thus amputating it.

He then took out the amputated hand. Bannes blazed with fury and asked, "Do you
recognise that patrician?" "Yes," replied the man and pointed out a patrician. Bannes
looked at him angrily. He and the other patricians became angry in turn at this insult
and proceeded to strike the complainant with their swords until they had killed him.

Bannes 's anger increased and he shouted, "You are defeated. You are destroyed. By
Christ! You hope for victory when you perpetrate such crimes? Do you not fear
retribution tomorrow and that God will take vengeance against you and seize
whatever good He has bestowed upon you and give it instead to others who order
good and forbid the bad? By God! I regard you as dogs now. Very soon you will see
the result of this and how you are going to finally end up."

He then stood up and dismissed them. All left except a patrician who said, "O king,
by God! These people are certainly as you describe them and I have no doubt that
they will be defeated. I dreamt that men were coming from the sky. They were
mounted on grey horses and were fully armed. They came and surrounded the 'Arabs
facing us. I saw that they killed whoever of us went out against them until most of us
had been killed."

He went on mentioning exactly what the previous patrician had dreamt. Bannes then
spent the entire night worrying about what to do with the Muslims.

318

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

42) Bannes writes to Heraclius

In the morning the Muslims adopted military formation and looked towards the
Roman camp from where thundering and commotion was emanating. They realised
that something was happening. Abu 'Ubaydah <$> said, "Leave them for the wrong-
doer is always defeated."

The four Roman generals went to Bannes to ask him permission to commence the
battle.

Bannes : How can I fight on the side of such a tyrannical nation. If you are free men
then go and defend your empire and women.

Generals : We want to fight now. By Christ! We will not leave them until we have
expelled them from Syria back to their own lands. Either they will kill us or we will
kill them. Rely on our word, get up and come with us against them. Once you have
decided on battle you can appoint each day one of us to lead the fight and vie with
the others until you see who is the stronger and better warrior and who will
humiliate the 'Arabs. We will gather all our children, wives and wealth and if we are
victorious will return everything to its place. If they are victorious then our families
can return to their lands. This matter between us will be settled in a day or two.

The accursed Bannes : Give me respite until I write to Heraclius about that.

He then wrote to Heraclius the following letter :

O Caesar, I ask God to grant you and your army victory, to grant your
subjects honour and victory. You despatched me with countless numbers.
When I came to them I made offers which they refused. I offered peace which
they rejected. I offered them a reward for withdrawing but they did not leave.
Caesar 's army is terrified of them. I fear that cowardice has spread amongst
them and that fear has entered their hearts. That is because of the great
amount of oppression which exists.

My advisors had gathered and decided upon going against them all together
and we will not leave them until God decides between us. If God should grant
victory to our enemy against us then the Earth runs according to His
decision. Know that this world is to leave you sooner or later so do not
despair at that part of it which has been lost. Do not covet for more of it to

319

Futuhusham

come into your hands. Take your family and court and move to
Constantinople. Do good unto your subjects and God will be good unto you.
Have mercy and mercy will be shown unto you. Be humble unto God and he
will elevate you, for He dislikes the haughty ones.

I had implemented a scheme to bring their general, Khdlid, to me. I tested
and bribed him but he did not respond. I saw him to be firm on the Truth. I
had planned to kill him, but then feared the results of treachery for these
people have only been victorious by following justice and truth. Greetings!

He then folded the letter and despatched it.

Bannes remained inactive for seven days after the initial confrontation. He neither
attacked the Muslims, nor did the Muslims attack the Romans. Abu 'Ubaydah <£»
therefore sent a spy to investigate what was keeping the Romans back. The spy was
absent for a day and night. Upon returning he told Abu 'Ubaydah 4b that Bannes had
written to Heraclius and was awaiting his reply.

Khalid 4b then said, " The only reason he is hesitating is because fear has entered his
heart. So let us attack him."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : Do not hurry, for haste is from the Devil.

43) A spy in the Muslim camp

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b was a soft man in battle who preferred leniency. On the other hand,
Bannes resolved to fight on the eighth day. He saw his men's eagerness for battle and
was pleased at their zeal. He called a Christian Lakhmi and said, "Go and spy on the
'Arabs for me."

The Lakhmi entered the Muslim camp and roamed about for a day and night. No
Muslim troubled him and were all at peace. They were doing nothing besides seeing to
their personal needs, reading Quran, performing Salah and remembering Allah. There
was no transgression or oppression amongst them. None wronged another. He went to
Abu 'Ubaydah's •& place and found him to be the most delicate of all 'Arabs. Sometimes
he sat on the ground and at other times he slept thereon. At the time of Salah he would
arise and perform wudu with the utmost care. After the athan was called out he would
lead the Muslims in Salah. The Lakhmi saw that the Muslims prayed exactly as he did
and so said, "This is absolute obedience. They will soon be victorious."

320

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

He then returned to Bannes and reported to him.

Lakhmi : O king, I have come to you from such a nation who fast during the day and
pray at night. Were one of them to steal they would cut off his hand even if he is of
high status and would stone him were he to commit adultery. They do not give
preference to personal desire over Truth, Truth is always preferred. Their
commander may be the feeblest amongst them, yet they obey him. When he stands
they stand. When he sits they sit. Their desire is battle. Their passion is attack. Their
intention is to die as martyrs in fighting you. The only reason they tarry in attacking
you is so that the aggression can be from your side when you start, not theirs.

Bannes : They will be victorious except that I now have a plan to prevent that.

Lakhmi : What is it, O king?

Bannes : Did you not claim that they will not attack first until we attack and become
the aggressors?

Lakhmi : Yes.

Bannes : Then we will not attack them until they become neglectful. We will then
attack them by surprise when they do not have their gear with them. Perhaps we will
triumph.

Bannes then summoned the princes and tied for them flags and crosses. The crosses
totalled 160, beneath each were 10,000 men. He gave the first flag to Canter who was
his equal in rank and ordered him to command the right-wing. Then he put Trajan in
charge of the Armenians, the plainsmen, the North Europeans, the Nubians and the
slaves. Caesar's sister's son, Theodoras, was given the Franks, Hercalaneans,
Caesareans, the Yarfal and the Duqas. Jabalah was given a flag to command the
vanguard consisting of the 'Arab Christians of Lakhm, Jutham, Ghassan andDabbah.
Bannes then said, "You are 'Arabs and our enemies are 'Arabs. Iron is only cut with
iron." He then distributed the divisional banners.

At dawn all preparations had been completed. He then ordered his tent to be erected
on a sand-hill at the side of the Yarmuk River, so that he could watch over both
armies. On his right he stationed 1,000 strong, fierce horsemen who were heavily
armed. On his left he had a similar number of aristocrats who were of the Imperial
Court. He ordered them to be alert and then said, "What worry can be greater to the
'Arabs than the fact that we are prepared and they are without preparation. When the
sun rises and you see the Muslims unprepared then attack them from every direction.
Compared to us they are but like a white spot on a black camel."

321

until he reached:

Futuhushdm

44)- Allah's secret intelligence service

I (al-Waqidi) have heard the very aged man Iyad bin Ghalib al-Himyari narrate
from Jawwad bin Usayd bin 'Alqamah as-Sakasiki who narrated from his
father:

At dawn athan was proclaimed and Abu 'Ubaydah 4& led the Muslims in Salah
without knowing of Bannes's plot.

In the first rak'ah he recited:

By dawn and the ten nights, [89:1-2]

Indeed your Rabb is waiting in ambush, [89:14]

Suddenly an unseen voice said, "By the Rabb of Honour! You have triumphed over
the enemy. Their plot will not help them in the least. Allah has inspired your
commander to recite these verses as a hint to you."

When the Muslims heard this they were astonished. He then recited in the second
rak'ah:

. f - , * -»

By the sun and its light appearing, [91:1]
until:

322

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

So their Rabb crushed them due to their sins and levelled
them. He does not fear the consequences. [91:14-15]

The unseen voice then said, "The omen is complete. The rebuke is correct. This is a
sign of victory!"

After Salah Abu 'Ubaydah & said, "O Muslims, did you also hear the unseen voice?"

Muslims : Yes, we heard it.

Abu 'Ubaydah & : By Allah! That was a voice of victory and granting of hope.
Rejoice at Allah's help and victory. By Allah! He will certainly help you and send the
scourge of punishment down on them just as He had sent down on the ancient
nations. O people, I had a dream last night which indicated victory against the enemy
and help from the angels.

Muslims : May Allah keep the commander in a good state. What did you dream?

Abu 'Ubaydah & : I dreamt that I was standing opposite the Romans when men came
and surrounded us. They were dressed in white robes so beautiful that I had never
seen the like thereof before. They were so white that they glittered with light which
dazzled the eye. They wore green turbans, carried yellow flags and rode grey horses.
As they surrounded me they said, "Advance upon your enemies. Do not fear them for
your victory is assured because Allah is your Helper."

Then they called some of you and gave them to drink from cups which they had with
them. I then saw our army penetrating into the Roman army. When they saw us they
fled.

Muslim : May Allah keep the commander in a good state. I also saw a dream last
night.

Abii 'Ubaydah & : It will also be good. What did you see? May Allah have mercy on
you.

Muslim : We were coming out against the enemy and formed rows for battle.
Suddenly white birds burst upon them from the sky. They had green wings and claws
like eagles. They swooped like eagles upon them. Whoever they struck fell down
dead.

The Muslims rejoiced at this dream and said to each other, "Rejoice, Allah has
granted you safety and victory and has extended His help to you in the form of angels
who will fight with you just as they did at the Battle of Badr."

323

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b was also happy and said, "It is a good and true dream. Its
interpretation is that of victory. I hope that Allah will grant victory to us and the good
outcome of the pious."

Another Muslim : O commander, what is stopping us from these Christian dogs. Why
are you waiting to fight when the enemy of Allah wants to trap us through delay.
They are only holding back in order to strike us with some calamity."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b ■' Matters are closer than you think.

45) Men and women

Sa'id bin Rifa'ah al-Himyari narrates:

While we were in that state we heard shouts and screams of battle rising from every
direction indicating that the Romans had already attacked us. Abu 'Ubaydah 4b
thought that the Muslims must have been caught by surprise and attacked at dawn.
He arose to go and look. Sa'id bin Zayd bin 'Amr bin Nufayl al-'Adawi 4b was on
guard that night. He came shouting, "To arms! To arms!" until he stood in front of
Abu 'Ubaydah 4b with a Christian 'Arab.

Sa 'id 4b : O commander, Bannes has tricked the Muslims by tarrying from war. He
has now mobilised his army and is launching a surprise attack while we are without
gear or preparations. This man came to us desiring to enter Islam and to warn us. He
says that Bannes and his patrician advisors have decided upon this strategy that on
each day one general will attack with all his men and this is the hardest possible
attack against us.

The Muslims saw the flags and crosses of Rome coming. Abu 'Ubaydah 4b
exclaimed, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except through
Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty. Where is Abu Sulayman Khalid bin al-
Walid?"

Khalid 4b : I am at your service.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b '■ You are for me, Abu Sulayman. Take the best warriors and defend
the women until such time and we can organise and get our gear.

Khalid 4b : I willingly obey.

324

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

He then called out, "Where are az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam 4&, 'Abdurahman bin Abi
Bakr, al-Fadl bin al-'Abbas, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4b, Rabi'ah bin 'Amir, Maysarah
bin Masraq, Maysarah bin Qays, 'Abdullah bin Unays al-Juhani, Abu Sufyan Sakhr
bin Harb al-Umawi, 'Ammarah ad-Dawsi, 'Abdullah bin Salam, Ghanim al-
Ghanawi, Al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad, Abu Tharr al-Ghifari, 'Amr bin Ma'dikarab,
'Ammar bin Yasir al-'Absi, Dirar bin al-Azwar *fe>, 'Amir bin at-Tufayl, Aban bin
'Uthman bin 'Affan..." He continued calling different Sahabah, each of whom were
capable of taking on an army by himself. They all came to Khalid 4& and engaged in
combat while Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe organised the Muslims.

Abu Sufyan 4» came to AM 'Ubaydah *&> and said, "O commander, order our women
to go on top of that hill."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : That is correct.

He ordered them and they complied, seeking protection up there with their children
and babies. AM 'Ubaydah 4& said to them, "Take tent-pegs and place stones in front
of you. Encourage the men towards fighting. If we win then well and good, but if you
see any man fleeing then strike him in the face with the pegs and pelt him with
stones, lift your children towards them and say, "Defend your family and the Din of
Islam."

Women : We obey and will please you.

After seeing to the women, Abu 'Ubaydah 4t> returned to organising the men. They
rushed into battle as soon as he had placed the right- and left-wings, the centre and
the two sub-divisions of the vanguard. He appointed the flag-bearers, each Muhajir
tribe had its own colour - yellow, green, white, black etc. He placed the Muhajirin &
and Ansar ,& at the centre and the Muslims got their gear and weapons. He divided
the Muslims into three rows, archers of Yaman, cavalry and infantry. The cavalry
was placed under three commanders: Ghiyath bin Harmalah al-Amiri, Maslamah bin
Sayf al-Yarbu'i and al-Qa'qa' bin 'Amr at-Tamimi.

The Muslims stood under their flags. Abu 'Ubaydah <& also stood under his yellow
flag which Abu Bakr ■#> had tied for him the day he had departed for Syria; it was the
flag of Rasulullah % with which he had gone to Khaybar. Khalid * had the black
flag of the eagle. Shurahbil 4» was given infantry, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4fe the right-
vanguard and Qays bin Hubayrah the left-vanguard.

325

Futuhushdm

46) The advice

Once all ranks had been formed Abu 'Ubaydah 4& went amongst the men to
encourage them. He said:

Tjfyow /ze//? ^4//a/z 5 Z)fw i/e wz'// /?e/p yow awe? make your feet
firm. [47:7]

"Be patient because patience is the saviour from worry. Please Allah and restrain the
enemy. Do not break from your ranks. Do not break your intentions. Do not take a
single step without the remembrance of Allah. Do not initiate battle until they have
first started. Have your spear points fixed and take cover With your shields. Maintain
absolute silence except for the remembrance of Allah. Do not undertake any
initiative except with my orders."

He then returned to his station at the centre. Mu'ath bin Jabal & then went amongst
the people, encouraging them to battle and saying, "O people of the Din, O helpers
of Guidance and Truth, may Allah have mercy on you. Know that Allah's mercy
cannot be attained except through action and intention. It is not achieved through
sinning and empty hopes without pleasing actions. None enters Jannah except
through pious deeds coupled with Allah's mercy. Allah does not shower his mercy
and infinite forgiveness except on the patient and true ones. Have you never heard
Allah's words as follows:

> »^; aihrt ...J c..,\>rl l ^11 I^JL^Pj ^»Sj^4 \yu>\e <^i«Ajl 4UI JLPj
' w' '■" '' Z ' *\*°'. ^- !* ' * o '■•>'--

326

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Allah has promised those amongst you who believe and do
good deeds that He will grant them sovereignty over the Earth
just as He had granted sovereignty to those before them. He
will establish that religion which He is pleased with for them
and change their condition of fear into safety. They worship
Me and do not ascribe any partner unto Me. Those who will
disbelieve after that are indeed great sinners. [24:55]

Be ashamed that Allah should see you fleeing from your enemy. You are completely
in His grip, there is no refuge except with him."

He continued speaking in this manner until he returned to his post.

Suhayl bin 'Amr * then went armed and riding on his horse giving similar advice as
Mu'ath & had given. He then returned.

Abu Sufyan ^ then made the rounds on horseback with his sword and spear. He said,
"O Noble 'Arabs, O great chiefs, you awoke this morning in the land of the
Christians, cut off from family and homeland. By Allah! Nothing can save you from
them except the thrust of the spear dead in their eyes and the strike of the sword on
their heads. In this way you will attain your purpose and gain success from your
Rabb. Know that Allah removes worry at the time of battle through patience. So be
true in battle for victory comes with patience. If you are patient you will rule their
lands and cities and enslave their children and women. If you flee, then there is only
an endless wilderness ahead of you which cannot be traversed except with an ample
supply of provisions and water, and where you return to has neither buildings nor
palaces. So attack with your swords and wage Jihad in the Path of Allah as it should
be waged."

Do not die except as Muslims. [3:102]

He left the men and went to the women on top of the hill. They included Muhajirat,
the daughters of the Ansar and other Muslim women. With them were their children.
He said to them, "Rasulullah ft has said that women are deficient in intelligence and
Din. Nevertheless, you should be of those women who uphold their Din and resolve
upon that; those who encourage their husbands to battle; those who will stone their

327

Futuhushdm

own husbands in the face and strike their horses with tent-pegs if they should flee
from battle. They will show their children to them until they return in shame."

The women stood up as ready tigresses roaring out their war-poems. Abu Sufyan 4&>
returned to his station and said, "O Muslims, you see what has come to you,
Rasulullah S and Jannah are in front and the Devil and Hell are behind you."

He continued until he reached his post.

47) Convey my salam to Rasulullah &

Thus the plot of Bannes failed. Khalid 4& and his 500 cavalry confronted the Romans
who took fright and withdrew. That gave the Muslims ample time to form their rows
and battalions.

Bannes said, "What is stopping you from fighting them? Go and attack them." They
thus returned to the attack. Khalid 4a saw the massive army coming.

Bannes selected 30,000 of his elite warriors and had them dig ditches at the right-
wing. They jumped in, shackled their feet with chains and tied each ten together with
a single chain. They swore upon Jesus son of Mary, the Cross, the priests, the monks
and the four churches not to flee until every last one of them would be killed. When
Khalid ^> saw that, he said to the elite troops around him, "This is going to be a heavy
day. O Allah, grant the Muslims victory."

He then went to Abu 'Ubaydah 4» and said, "O commander, the enemy have tied
themselves in chains and are advancing with cutting swords. This may be a heavy
day on the Muslims."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : O Muslims, the enemy is numerous and nothing can save you
except patience. Abu Sulayman, what is your view?

Bannes put 100,000 such men in front who were known for their bravery, were
famous amongst the citizens and were known for their firmness in their own lands.
Khalid * recognised them to be great warriors. He replied, "I think that Sa'id bin
Zayd should stay at your station and you go at the back with 200 or 300 Sahabah of
Rasulullah &. The people will then feel ashamed to flee firstly because of shame
before Allah and secondly because of shame before you." Abu 'Ubaydah 4&
accepted this advice and called Sa'id «&, one of the ten who were promised Jannah.
Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe> put him in charge and then chose 200 Yamani horsemen which
included Muhajirin 4* and Ansar & and stayed in the rear in line with Sa'id *>

328

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Waraqah bin Muhalhil at-Tannukhi, the flag-bearer of Abu 'Ubaydah ■*> at al-
Yarmuk narrates:

The first to open the gates of battle at al- Yarmuk was a young, handsome Azdi boy
who said to Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe, "O commander, I desire to quench my heart's thirst to
wage Jihad against my enemy and the enemy of Islam and to sacrifice my life in the
Path of Allah so that I can be blessed with martyrdom. Permit me to go and if you
have any message for Rasulullah ft tell me."

Abu 'Ubaydah * began weeping and said, "Convey my salam to Rasulullah H and
tell him that we have found what our Rabb has promised us to be true."

The boy then rode off to the battlefield. A Roman riding on a grey horse came to
challenge him. The boy who had dedicated his life to the Path of Allah went to him
and recited this poem as he neared him:

/ will certainly pierce and cut.

With every spear and sword that will cut.

Perhaps I will be successful and gain this

Jannah and high status.

They then fought. The boy speared the Roman and brought him to the ground. He
took all his gear and horse and gave it to one of his tribesman. He then returned to
the battlefield. A second, third and fourth came against him but the Azdi boy killed
them all one by one. The fifth however, martyred the boy. The tribe of Azd became
infuriated and charged at the Romans who in turn charged like a swarm of locusts
until they came near the Muslim right-wing.

48) The Battle of al- Yarmuk begins in earnest

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fc called out, 'The enemies of Allah have come against you. Repulse
them. Know that Allah is with you. Be firm with patience and truth and confront the
enemy. Victory is only from Allah!"

He then gazed at the sky and prayed, "O Allah, you alone do we worship and from
You alone do we seek help. We take You to be One and do not ascribe any partners
unto You. These people are your enemies. They deny You and Your signs and ascribe
a son unto You. O Allah, shake their feet and tremble their hearts. Send down
calmness upon us. Make us firm in the word of piety. Save us from Your punishment.

329

Futuhushdm

O You Who do not break promises, O Allah, help us against them, O You Who has
said in His Honourable Book:

Hold firmly onto Allah. He is your Master. What an excellent
Master! What an excellent Helper. [22: 78]

While he was engaged in this du'a the Romans attacked the right-wing which was
made up of al-Azd, Mathhij, Hadramawt and Khawlan tribes. The Roman attack was
vicious but the Muslims persevered as noble ones do. They fought back fiercely and
remained firm. They remained firm when a second Roman battalion attacked, but
were dislodged at the attack of the third battalion.

'Amr bin Ma'dikarab az-Zubaydi & then rushed out. He was the chief of Zubayd
who honoured him for the great bravery he displayed even since pre-Islamic times.
At the Battle of al-Yarmuk he was 120 years old, but his vigour had not slackened in
the least. Upon seeing his tribe fleeing, he called out, "O people of Zubayd! O
people of Zubayd, you flee from the enemy and fear to drink from the goblet of
death? Do you prefer blame and disgrace for yourself? What is this commotion of the
Christian dogs to you? Do you not know that Allah is watching you, the Mujahidin
and the patient ones? When He sees them being patient for the sake of His pleasure
and then remain firm on His decision He helps them with victory and patience. How
can you flee away from Jannah? Do you like deficiency, entry into Hell and the anger
of the Great Compeller?"

Upon hearing him Zubayd ran to him as a she-camel runs to her children. About 500
horsemen and footmen gathered around him and together charged at the Romans.
Himyar, Khawlan and Hadramawt joined them in a heavy assault which dislodged
the Romans from their positions.

The Daws tribe were with Abu Hurayrah &. He was waving his flag encouraging his
tribe to fight and said, "O people, hurry towards the embrace of the virgin damsels
of Jannah in the vicinity of the Rabb of all the worlds! There is no place more
beloved unto Allah than this place (the battlefield). Hear me, Allah gives preference
to the patient ones over those who have not participated in battle."

330

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

So Daws gathered around him and launched an attack on the Romans. Combat
ensued and rotated amongst them just as a windmill rotates.

49) Bravery of the women

The Romans began to gang up on the right-wing which broke up and fled like sheep
fleeing from a lion. When the Muslim women saw the Muslim cavalry retreating they
screamed, "O daughters of 'Arabs, get those men. Stop them from fleeing and send
them back into battle!"

Sa'idah bint 'Asim al-Khawlani narrates:

I was amongst those women that day on the hill. When the right-wing fled 'Afirah
bint Ghifar who was as brave as a man shouted, " O women of the 'Arabs, get those
men. Carry your children to them and make them fight."

The women began stoning the the men. Bint al-'As bin Munabbih called out, "May
Allah disfigure that man who flees from his wife."

The women began shouting at their husbands, "You are not our husbands if you
cannot defend us from the Christians!"

A1-' Abbas bin Sahl as-Sa'idi narrates:

Khawlah bint al-Azwar, Khawlah bint Tha'labah al-Ansariyah, Ka'vib bint Malik bin
'Asim, Salam bint Hashim, Ni'am bint Fayyad, Hind bint 'Utbah bin Rabi'ah and
Lubna bint Jarir al-Himyariyah came leading the women with their girdles tied. They
were carrying sticks. Khawlah recited:

oL-^J L+J, jL-^r L_4-J

Oyou who flees from his loyal lady

She is beautiful and stands firmly

Your abandoning them to disbelievers is

331

Futuhushdm

to let them the forelocks and girls seize

Disbelievers, evil, arrogant, sinful

will take what they want from us to the full.

The horsemen then turned back encouraging each other to fight. Those who were
fleeing returned en masse upon hearing the women.

Hind bin 'Utbah came carrying a stick followed by Muhajirat. She recited the same
poem she recited at Uhud:

.«„ * iS^—

J »\j — . — 51

j_Ji — . — ; \ j , \ ; t j\

j j-

■* &j-

tj>

JjL

"i U-

\j_^J\ \ ,.,U 8 11 ^ t, 4

J I.

-*J

-jt

Night star s daughters are we

Who walk on carpets soft they be.

Our walk does friendliness tell

Our heads are perfumed musk smell

Pearls are strung around these necks of us.

So come and embrace us.

Whoever refuses will be separated forever.

To defend his woman is there no noble lover?

She came to the Muslim horsemen of the right-wing and called out, "Why are you
fleeing? Do you flee from Allah and Jannah when Allah is watching you?"
When she saw her husband Abu Sufyan 4b fleeing, she struck his horse in the face
with a tent-peg and said, "Where do you think you are going, O Sakhr? Go back to
battle and put great effort into it until you compensate for having incited people in
the past against Rasulullah S."

Az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam 4fr> narrates:

I heard Hind mentioning to Abu Sufyan 4fe about Uhud when we were with
Rasulullah S. Her words made him turn back to the battle.The other Muslims

332

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

followed him. I looked at the women. They attacked with the men, in fact they
overtook the men. They stood between the legs of the horses hitting the enemy with
tent-pegs. I saw a woman grabbing a massive Roman who was mounted on a horse.
She clung onto him and would not let go until she had dismounted him and killed
him and said, "This is the manifestation of Allah's help to the Muslims."

Az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam & narrates:

The Muslims mounted a heavy attack, desiring nothing besides Allah's pleasure. The
Azd fought under Abti Hurayrah 4». Death spread amongst them until a large number
lay dead. That was because they had borne the brunt of the initial impact and
therefore there were more martyrs from them than from others.

50) Trajan is killed

Sa'ld bin Zayd narrates:

The fighting at the right-wing was intense. Sometimes the Muslims fled and then
returned. Sometimes we persevered and sometimes we fell back. Khalid * looked at
the right-wing whose retreat had already reached the centre. He called the 6,000
horsemen around him and, proclaiming, "Allahu Akbar!", launched such a ferocious
attack which caused heavy damage to the Romans. They were forced to withdraw
from the right-wing and centre and retreat to their positions. Khalid & went to the
front of their ranks driving off any of them close to the Muslims and thus broke their
ranks.

Khalid * saw that his men were now spread out. He thus called out, "O people of
Islam and Faith, O bearers of the Quran, O Sahabah of Muhammad S, defeat has
become apparent to the Romans. They have no strength or power left except that
which you see. Allah has blunted their sharpness so attack and complete their defeat.
May Allah have mercy on you. By Him who hold Khalid's life in His Hand! I have
hope that Allah will put them in your hands." The Muslims responded from every
direction, "Attack and we will attack with you."

He unsheathed his sword and attacked, followed by his men.

'Abdurahman bin al-Humaydt al-Jumahi narrates:

I was amongst those who attacked with Khalid &■ By Allah! The Roman formations
were broken and they fled like sheep flee from a lion. The Muslims then continued

333

Futuhushdm

in pursuit of them. That assault was on the Roman right-wing which was
completely smashed. As for the chained ones who were the defenders of Rome, they
maintained their positions and shot arrows at us.

'Abdurahman narrates:

Khalid & led us in the attack. Our battle-cry was: "Victory to the Ummah of
Muhammad!" Khalid & advanced continuously until we reached Trajan. He was in
the place Bannes had stationed him in. He had with him the jewelled cross and was
surrounded by his men waiting for him to launch the attack.

When Khalid ^ reached him the patricians said to Trajan, "Sir, you should attack and
we will follow you or else flee for the 'Arabs have surrounded you."

Trajan : Today is an evil day. I do not like it. I do not even like to see it or be
present here. The king posted me here and I just hate it! Wrap my face and head in
this cloth so that I do not have to see the battle.

So they wrapped his head and face in brocade. The people fought on until the
Muslims defeated the Romans. His head and face was still wrapped in brocade.
Dirar*^ attacked and killed him.

51) Women to the rescue - again

Amongst Allah's favours to the Muslims was the in-fighting between George and
Canter. George was in command of the right-wing with the Armenians and Canter of
the left-wing. George said to him, "Attack the 'Arabs. This is not the time to tarry."

Canter : You order me to attack? Why do you not go yourself?

George : Why should I not order you? I am your commander.

Canter : You lie! You are but a general and I am in command over you. You are my
subordinate.

So they squabbled. George, angry and frustrated, left and attacked the Muslims
between the left-wing and centre. He attacked the tribes of Qays, Kinanah,
Khath'am, Jutham, Quda'ah, 'Amilah and Ghassan. The Muslims were dislodged
and fled except for the flag-bearers who put up tough resistance. The Romans chased
the fleeing Muslims until they entered their camp with them.

334

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

The Muslim women came and hit the horses of the Muslims in the face with tent-
pegs and stones and called out, "O men of Islam, do you flee from your mothers,
sisters, wives and daughters? Do you wish to give us to the Christians?"

Minhal ad-Dawsi narrates:

The women were sterner against us than the Romans were. The Muslims returned
from their flight saying to each other,

And they advise each other with Truth and they advise each
other with patience. [103:3]

They turned back and fiercely fought the Romans. Qatamah bin al- Ay sham al-Kinani
was in the lead striking the Christians sometimes with a sword and sometimes with
a spear until he broke three spears. All the while he was reciting:

£SLL*JI i>^ U^ f-Kr-frtj C^' ***** f-^ 1 «/ iH"*-

£-**U ui^t ^jlLI ^jl+JI ^J <M$-^ -rr-»- & Jj— J tf~*}j

I will attack the dogs of Rome who are barking,

With my metal 's edge I will be striking.

To please the giver of hope, Allah 's Messenger,

Prophet of Guidance for this Din the best advisor.

He attacked until he broke two swords. Each time he broke a sword or spear he would
call out, "Who will lend me a sword or spear in the Path of Allah and his reward will
be from Allah?"

He then called out, "O tribe of Qays, grab your share of reward and patience. For
patience in this world is honour, and leads to mercy and status in the next world."

335

Futuhushdm

Be patient, help one another in patience and defend each other.
And fear Allah so that you may be successful. [3:200]

His people responded and were energised for battle.

Qatamah bin al-Aysham narrates:

I had never experienced an attack like that of Canter and his men before. They
attacked until our two armies became completely intermingled.

(This would indicate that Canter must have attacked after George - translator's
note).

Khalid 4$> returned from his raid with 2,000 men. They had killed so many Romans
but it had had no effect due to their great number. He found the people saying, "May
Allah reward Qatamah bin al-Aysham well on behalf of Islam." So he went and
thanked him too.

52) Martyrdom of 'Amir bin at-Tufayl &

Thar'ah bint al-Harith came down from the hill, saying, "What did Khalid do?" until
she came in front of him.

Thar 'ah : Ibn al-Walid, you are of the noble 'Arabs. Men follow their leaders. If the
leaders are firm then so are they with them. If the leaders flee, so do they.

Khalid 4fr : I never fled! We continuously fought them.

Thar'ah accepted his explanation, "Then may Allah disfigure the face of he who sees
his commander steadfast and yet he flees."

Bannes, may Allah's curse be on him, looked at his right-wing which was in a
stagnant state. He sent a messenger to encourage them. Thereupon a Roman wearing
complete armour emerged on a giant grey horse. The Roman came as if he were a
mountain between the two forces and issued a challenge. When an Azdi responded
he was martyred in a single round of combat. The Roman issued another challenge
which Mu'ath bin Jabal 4» wanted to take up, but Abu 'Ubaydah •&> forbade him
saying, "Keep your place and maintain the flag for that is preferable to me than your
dueling him."

336

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Mu'ath & therefore kept his place and called out, "O Muslims, whoever wants a
horse to go and fight in the Path of Allah may take my horse and weapons." His son,
'Abdurahman, came and said, "O father, me!" This pre-adolescent boy put on the
weapons and mounted the horse and then said, "Father, I am going to that Christian.
If I am patient and attain victory then that is Allah's favour. If I am killed then I greet
you now already and ask you if you have any message for RasulullahU?"

Mu 'dth 4& '■ My son, convey my salam to him and say, "May Allah reward you well
on behalf of the Ummah." My son, go! May Allah guide you towards that which He
likes.

Ibn Mu'ath went and attacked the Roman who struck him on the head, cutting
through his turban and breaking through until blood flowed. The Roman thought that
the boy was almost dead and went back to see how he would fall from his horse. Ibn
Mu'ath used the opportunity to return to the Muslims.

Mu 'dth A : My son, what has happened to you?

Ibn Mu 'dth : The disbeliever has killed me.

Mu 'dth 4fe> : What do you want of this world, my son?

He then bandaged his head. At that moment the Roman arrogantly came to attack, but
the Azd repulsed him.

Abii 'Ubaydah 4& : Which of you will go to him?

'Amir bin at-Tufayl ad-Dawsi ^ volunteered. He was one of KMlid's 4& flag-
bearers at the Battle of Yamamah. There he had dreamt that a woman came to him
and exposed herself. He entered her and when his son saw that he also wanted to
follow, but at the moment 'Amir awoke. He narrated the dream to the Muslims, none
of whom could interpret it. Amir then said, "I know its interpretation."

"What is it, Ibn at-Tufayl?" they asked him.

'Amir 4s> : It means that I will be killed. The woman whom I entered represents the
Earth. My son will then be wounded and soon join me.

He fought at Yamamah but did not suffer anything and returned safely.

Now at al- Yarmuk he went out to fight the Roman as if he were a blazing fire or
striking lightning. He thrust his spear, which he had used in many battles, against the
Romans. When it broke he unsheathed his sword, brandished it and struck the Roman

337

Futuhusham

on the shoulder right down to the intestines. He fell off his horse and died. 'Amir 4&
raced back with the Roman horse and handed it to his son. He then returned to attack
different groups of Romans.

He then targeted the Christian 'Arabs. He killed one horseman and issued a challenge
for a duel. Jabalah himself responded. He was resplendent in brocade decorated with
gold. Beneath that he wore armour of the ancient Tubba' and wore a helmet which
glittered like the sun. Riding his horse which was descended from the horses of
ancient 'Ad, he called out to 'Amir &, "From which tribe are you?"

'Amir <#> : Daws.

Jabalah : Then you are a relative. Save yourself and return. Give up false hopes.

'Amir 4& : I have identified myself to you, so now you tell me what kind of an 'Arab
you are.

Jabalah : I am of Ghassan. I am chief of all of them. I am Jabalah bin al-Ayham al-
Ghassani. I came out to you when I saw you coming. You had killed that strong
patrician who was the equal to Bannes and George in bravery. I recognised you to be
my equal and came to kill you and enjoy the favour of Bannes and Heraclius for
killing you.

'Amir 4fc : You mention these people's strength, but Allah is stronger than them and
destroys the tyrants. You want to enjoy the favour of created beings like yourself for
killing me, but I want to enjoy the favour of the Rabb of all the worlds for killing
you.

He then attacked but his blow was harmless. Jabalah however struck him on the head
right down to his shoulder. 'Amir <& fell down martyred. Jabalah swelled with pride
and challenged the Muslims to duel him.

53) Martyrdom of Jundub bin 'Amir

The martyr's son, Jundub bin 'Amir, went to Abu 'Ubaydah & carrying his father's
flag and said, "O commander, my father has been killed. I want to either avenge him
or be killed myself. So give his flag to whom you will from amongst the Daws."

Abu 'Ubaydah & handed the flag to a Dawsi and Jundub departed to kill Jabalah,
reciting this poem:

338

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

/ will spend my life and soul,

Desiring the forgiveness of the Rabb of all.

I will with my sword strike the enemy,

Killing every despicable personality.

Eternity in Paradise is a reality
Permissible for every man of bravery.

He then reached Jabalah.

Jundub : Stay, O murderer of my father, so that I can kill you.

Jabalah : You are really related to him?

Jundub : I am most certainly his son.

Jabalah : Why do you people just kill yourselves, your children and sacred lives?

Jundub : To be slain in the Path of Allah is praiseworthy according to Allah and a
means of elevation of status.

Jabalah : I do not want to kill you.

Jundub : How can I return when I am stricken by the loss of my father? By Allah! I
shall not return until I have either avenged him or meet him.

He then attacked Jabalah. The two then dueled with everyone watching. Jabalah
realised that Jundub was a great warrior and became more cautious. The Ghassan
were cheering their chief on but then realised that Jundub was overpowering him.
They therefore said to each other, "This boy who has come out against your chief is
of high birth. If you leave him alone he will overcome Jabalah. So let us help him."
They therefore got ready to help Jabalah. The Muslims were pleased at Jundub's
valiant display. Abu 'Ubaydah -^ watched and wept. He said, "This is a person who
sacrifices his life in the Path of Allah. O Allah, accept his action."

339

Futuhushdm

Jabir bin 'Abdillah & narrates:

I participated in the Battle of al-Yarmuk and did not see a boy braver than Jundub bin
'Amir bin at-Tufayl when he was fighting Jabalah. He struck Jabalah a blow which
weakened him, but Jabalah struck back and killed him and Allah sped his soul to
Jannah. Thus his father's dream became a reality.

Jabalah stayed at his place of combat and challenged the Muslims. His people called
out, "Return to us. You have fulfilled your duty." He returned, proud of himself, until
he came under his cross. Bannes sent a message congratulating him.

54) The Battle-cries and numbers of Muslims

The Muslims were greatly distressed at the loss of 'Amir & and Jundub. Daws called
out, "Jannah, Jannah, avenge your chief, 'Amir!" Their allies, al-Azd, came to their
assistance and together they attacked Ghassan, Lakhm and Jutham, reciting poems.
Abu 'Ubaydah 4b called out, "O people," He then recited,

^j p-^=HJ o* A£** Jl l^j^j

Hasten to your Rabb 's forgiveness and Paradise... [3:133]

He then continued, "...and the embrace of the virgin damsels in gardens of pleasure.
There is no place more beloved to Allah than this (battlefield). Hear me, Allah grants
preference to those who have partaken in battle over those who have not."

Upon hearing this al-Azd together with the Daws attacked. Their battle-cry that day
was, "Jannah, Jannah!"

Musa bin Muhammad narrates from 'AtS bin MurSd:

I asked many people as to the different battle-cries of the Muslims at al-Yarmuk. I
was told as follows:

1) Abu 'Ubaydah 4b Make them die! Make them die!

2) 'Abs tribe Come help O 'Abs!

3) Yaman O helpers of Allah!

4) Khalid 4* and his men O party of Allah!

340

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

5) Himyar Victory! Victory!

6) Darim & Sakasik tribes Patience! Patience!

7) Banu Murad O help of Allah, come down!

These were the battle-cries. When Daws followed by al-Azd attacked the Christian
'Arabs they targeted the cross; they scattered the Christians and reached it. A Muslim
speared the Ghassani who was carrying the cross, both of which fell down from the
horse. The dead of al-Azd and Daws were but like a white spot on a black camel.
Ghassan returned to retrieve their cross. Intense fighting broke out and many were
killed.

Hisham bin 'Ammarah narrated to me from Abu al-Jariri who narrates from
Nafi' who narrates from Jubayr bin al-Huwayrith who narrates from 'Abdullah
bin 'Adi:

I participated at al- Yarmuk and the Muslims numbered 25,000.

Al-Huwayrith became angry at this report and said, "Whoever narrated this has lied!
The Muslims were 41,000. I have narrated what I have heard from reliable
narrators."

This last report is most correct because there were 32,000 Muslims at Ajnadayn and
reinforcements arrived after that.

Ibn Abt Namirah narrates from 'Abdul HamTd bin Sahl who narrates from his
grandfather:

When al-Azd and Daws attacked the Christians at al- Yarmuk the Christians counter-
attacked and dislodged the Muslims. The Muslim flag-bearer, Tyad bin Ghanam al-
Ash'ari, fled with the flag in his hand. They shouted at him, "An army only stays firm
if the flag-bearer stays firm."

Khalid 4i> and 'Amr bin al-As 4b raced to take the flag off him. 'Amr 4b snatched it
and fought until the Romans were defeated and Allah granted the Muslims victory.

55) Another day of battle

The third day was the worst. The Muslims lost and fled three times. Each time it was
the women who had to stall them by showering them with stones and striking them

341

Futuhushdm

with tent-pegs and by showing them their children. They returned and fought until
the night when the Romans returned to their camp. The Romans suffered heavy
losses, the Muslims had few dead but arrows wounded many of them. Both parties
returned to their camps, spending the night fully-armed.

The Muslim's first priority was Salah, only then did they bandage the wounded. After
Abu 'Ubaydah ,& performed his salah, he called out, "O people, when things are
difficult then await relief from Allah. Light your fires and be on guard. Keep
reciting, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" "

He and Khalid & then inspected the wounded saying, "O people, your enemies are
in pain just as you are in pain, but you have hope from Allah, which they do not
have."

The two continued going round to the Muslims until morning.

Bannes withdrew the Romans to the banks of al-Yarmuk. He gathered all the
patricians, severely rebuked them and said, "I just knew that this would come from
you. I saw how weak-hearted, cowardly and terrified you are of these weak 'Arabs!"
They offered excuses and said, "Tomorrow we will fight them. There are still many
fresh soldiers who have not yet fought. Tomorrow we will show them and be
victorious." Bannes stopped scolding them and ordered them to begin their
preparations. Thus both parties spent the night on guard against each other. The
difference was that the Romans were afraid because of their heavy losses while the
Muslims hearts were even firmer due to their faith and steadfastness.

In the morning Abu 'Ubaydah & led the Muslims in Salatul Khawf. Suddenly
crosses and flags as numerous as trees and thorns appeared. It seemed as if they were
fresh troops who had not been afflicted with battle yet. Bannes had his throne placed
on the same sandhill which he was on the previous day and swiftly drew his men into
formation.

When Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> saw the sudden speed of the Romans, he ordered every
commander to get his men ready for battle. After Salah the Muslims rushed to put on
their weapons and mounted their horses. Each commander took up his position and
began advising his men and mentioning the help of Allah.

Abu 'Ubaydah <$> went between the ranks describing to the Muslims the great virtues
of Jihad and what Allah has kept in store for the patient Mujahidin. He put 'Amr bin
Sa'id bin ' Abdillah in charge of the children, women and goods and appointed 500
archers each at the right-wing, left-wing and centre. He went amongst them and said,

342

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

"O archers, keep firmly to your positions. If you see the enemy attacking us then
shower them with arrows taking the name of Allah. Do not fire sporadically but as if
every arrow was fired from a single bow. If they should charge at you, maintain your
position until further orders from me."

They complied with what they had been ordered to do.

Abu Sufyan & went to his son, Yazid &. Yazid's * men surrounded their
commander who was holding the flag and had resolved on attacking the enemy and
waging Jihad.

Abu Sufyan & : My son, if you do good Allah will be good to you. Fear Allah as He
should be feared. Help the Din of Allah and the laws of his Prophet II. Beware of
being afraid because what our Rabb decrees He implements. Be patient with your
men - patience of the highest degree. Beware, I repeat beware of deserting for then
Allah's wrath will afflict you.

Yazid ^ : I will persevere to the limits of my ability. I ask Allah to help me.

56) Bravery of az-Zubayr &

Yazid & then waved the flag and called his men to battle. They attacked the nearest
Roman force and remained in combat until they caused them major damage. This
attack emanated from the centre and continued until a patrician came with a
massive spear in hand. He wore a gold cross and led a force of about 10,000
cavalry. This cavalry attacked the right-wing which was under 'Amr bin al-'As.
Some Muslims fled and the Romans managed to enter the first ranks around 'Amr
4f>. Those around 'Arm* 4t> fought back. Sometimes they gained the upper hand and
at times fell back.

The Romans amassed against the Muslims and pushed them back until they pressed
them right against the hill upon which the women were stationed. They then
proceeded to surround the hill.

A woman called out, "Where are the helpers of the Din? Where are the defenders of
the Muslims?"

Az-Zubayr bin al-' Awwam 4t> was sitting with his wife, Asma bint Abi Bakr, having
his inflamed eyes treated. Upon hearing a woman shout, "Where are the helpers of

343

Futuhushdm

the Din?" he asked, "O Asma, why is that woman shouting, 'Where are the helpers
of the Din?'"

Asmd : She is 'Afirah bint 'Uthman. O son of Rasulullah's H aunt, the Muslim right-
wing has been defeated. The Romans have forced them to take refuge here by us and
have surrounded us. The Ansar's women are calling for the helpers of the Din.

Az-Zubayr 4fe : By Allah! I am a helper of the Din. Allah will not see me sitting at a
time like this.

Then he flung the patch off his eye and mounted his horse. He took with him his
spear which bore the same name as himself and attacked calling out, "I am Az-
Zubayr bin al-'Awwam 4&. I am the son of the aunt of Rasulullah S!"

He began to incessantly spear the Romans until they turned and fled.

Layth bin Jabir narrates:

Allah be praised for az-Zubayr &. He single-handedly routed the Romans. He
attacked them with not a single 'Arab at his side until they fled to their camp and
'Amr and his men returned. 'Amr called out, "Return, Return! Be firm, Be firm! O
people of Islam! Patience,Patience!" So they returned after having fled.

George the Armenian, together with 30,000 Armenians, attacked Shurahbil bin
Hasanah 4&, the scribe of Rasulullah S, and dislodged the Sahabah & from their
position. Only Shurahbil <&> himself and less than 500 of his men remained firm. He
attacked the Armenians calling out, "O people of Islam, do not flee from death.
Patience, Patience!" His men came rushing back and attacked the Armenians so
fiercely that they fled, suffering far more than they had afflicted on the Muslims.

Shurahbil 4» returned to his position, surrounded by his men. He rebuked them for
their behaviour in battle, saying, "What befell you that you fled from these
disbelievers whereas you are the defenders of the Din, you are the pious, the people
of the Quran and the slaves of the Most Merciful. Have you not heard the words of
Allah:

344

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Whoever turns away from the enemy on the day of battle,

except for a war - strategy or to retreat to his troops, has

drawn the wrath of Allah upon him and his abode is Hell -

what an evil destination that is! [8:16]

Allah also says,

CSJ^>\ 4JJI o]

Allah has bought the lives and wealth of theBelievers in return
for Paradise. [9:111]

Yet you fled?"

Muslims : O Sahabi of Rasulullah S, the Devil made us slip just as he did at Uhud
and Hunayn. Here we are now before you. So take us and attack.

Shurahbil *&> thanked them and positioned them adjoining the force of Sa'id bin Zayd
& to facilitate better defence.

57) The giant

When Qays bin Hubayrah saw Shurahbil's 4^> men returning he led his men in an
attack. They called out their battle-cry:

"O help of Allah come down! O victorious one make them die! "

Khalid & attacked from the right while Qays attacked from the left, and they fought
most fiercely. Praise be to Allah for az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam &, Hashim bin al-
Mirqal and Khalid <$>. They attacked so viciously that they neared the tents of
Bannes. Bannes jumped off his throne out of fright and shouted at his men and
rebuked them. They returned to fight.

Abu 'Ubaydah &> called out to Sa'id bin Zayd & who then attacked with his men. He
shouted:

345

Futuhusham

"There is no deity besides Allah! O victorious one make them die!"

They advanced to spread death amongst the Romans.

While the Muslims were attacking they heard someone call out,

"O help of Allah descend! O help of Allah be near! O people,
steadfastness! Steadfastness! "

'Amir bin Aslam says, "We investigated and found it to be Abu Sufyan & who was
with his son, Yazid &. They stood under Abu Sufyan 's flag."

The generals all fought a vicious battle against whoever was closest to them. The
most steadfast of all the Romans were the chained-ones who warded off whoever
came near to them. Their archers numbered 100,000. When they fired arrows at the
'Arabs they would cover the sun. Were it not for Allah's help the Muslims would
have been utterly destroyed. The Muslims on their part were joyous while most of
the Romans perished.

A Christian came forward whose calves resembled that of the trunks of palm-trees.
He wore gold armour and a golden helmet on top of which was a gold cross, studded
with jewels. Mounted on a grey horse, he wore iron chain-mail and carried a spear.
He roamed about and challenged the Muslims to duel him. The Muslims could but
stare at his massive, frightening appearance.

Abu 'Ubaydah «fe> said, "His appearance should not frighten you for how many
massively-built men have you seen who have no heart? Who will go against him?
You should all seek Allah's help against him."

A slave went out on foot carrying a sword and shield. He was about to approach him
when his master, Thul Kala' al-Himyari & shouted at him to return. Thul Kala'4»,
who was a great warrior then went out himself.

The two faced each other, aiming their spears at each other. Each stabbed his
opponent causing an injury which burned hotter than coals. They then withdrew their
swords and began clashing. Each managed to strike the other once. However, the
Roman's sword was sharp and his arm strong, so he had cut right through Thul
Kala"s 4fr shield, sword, armour and clothing until he penetrated and deeply
wounded Thul Kala's 4& left upper arm and his hand dropped heavily.

346

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Thul Kala'* turned back to the Muslims and managed to evade the Roman. His
tribesmen came to him to find blood gushing out of his wound. He said, "O
horsemen of Himyar, beware of relying on your weapons to save you in battle. Rather
rely on Allah Most Honourable and Majestic in your battle."

Himyaris : How is that, O chief?

Thul Kald ' 4b : I returned my slave out of pity for him because he had no armour and
I said to myself, "I am a greater warrior than the slave and am better equipped and
armoured," but now you can see what the uncircumcised Christian did to me. By
Allah! I have not experienced anything similar in previous battles. O men of Himyar,
your chief has returned exhausted, who is there amongst you to avenge him?

A Himyari horseman, wearing such Yamani made and styled clothing which made
him resemble embers, went and persistently attacked the Roman. In a heavy round
of combat he managed to spear him through the chest and bring him to the ground,
dead. Thus Allah sped his soul to Hell.

The Himayri wanted to dismount to retrieve the booty, but a large group of Romans
came to prevent him. He turned them back in disgrace and got the booty. He went to
give it to Abu 'Ubaydah <& who awarded it back to him. The Himayri gave it to his
tribesmen and returned to his post. There a second Roman came to attack him, but he
killed him and similarly a third. However, the fourth assailant martyred him. As the
fourth Roman dismounted to seize the Himayri's spoils, an Ansari archer shot him in
the throat and Allah sped his soul to Hell.

The Romans were thrown into confusion and terror at the loss of the fourth Roman
for he was the governor of Nablus and one of their great men. Bannes calmed them
down.

58) The prince of Lan

Marius, prince of Lan, came and announced himself. He wore the upper-body armour
of royalty, brocade and a jewel-studded belt. He declared, "I am the prince of Lan.
None but your commander is worthy of fighting me."

Shurahbil 4> came riding out, flag in hand. He wore iron armour and a leather belt.
Abu 'Ubaydah * asked, "Who went?"

"Shurahbil bin Hasanah," they replied.

347

Futuhusham

So he sent a messenger to him, "Give the flag to whoever you like, but fight
without the flag."

He gave the flag to one of his tribesmen and said, "Stay at my post with it. If he
overcomes me then give it to the commander, Abu 'Ubaydah &,, so that he can give
it to whom he likes. If I return I will take it from you." The man took the flag while
Shurahbil & left reciting:

j|JL_>- OJlJ >.a-3 „ X.. * J-£—> li^U^I ^ fljdJ! ^ J-«^-t-

/ will attack the enemy 's despicable offspring

with pliant iron good for rectifying.

Woe to Caesar on that day which is at hand

When we will come and make the Romans fugitives in the land.

Marius did not understand because he knew only a little 'Arabic.

Metritis : O 'Arab, what are you saying?

Shurahbil & : I am reciting words which the 'Arabs recite at the time of battle to
strengthen their hearts and bring conviction on Allah's promise to our Prophet 0.

Marius : What did He promise your Prophet?

Shurahbil &> : Allah promised us that He will conquer the length and breadth of the
land for us. We will rule Syria. We will triumph through His aid.

Marius : God does not help the rebels. You have rebelled against us seeking that
which you are not entitled to.

Shurahbil & : We are a nation commanded by Allah to do this. The Earth belongs to
Allah. He grants it to whomsoever He desires to from amongst His slaves. The good
result is always in favour of those who fear Him. I see that you know some 'Arabic.
Were you to abandon the worship of the cross and enter Islam you would be of the
inhabitants of Paradise and most fortunate.

Marius : I will not leave the religion of Christ for it is the true religion.

348

Part 3: Al - Yartnuk

Shurahbil 4& : Do not say that he is a god or that he was crucified and killed. Allah,
Most Pure and High, kept him alive on Earth for as long as it pleased Him and then
raised him to the Heavens.

Marius : I will never retract!

He then took a cross out from his neck, raised it, placed it on his eye, kissed it and
sought its blessings for help. This made Shurahbil 4& angry.

Shurahbil 4*> '■ Woe unto you! Destruction unto you, to those who are with you and
to those who say as you say.

He then attacked and a heavy battle ensued between the two with Muslims making
du'a for Shurahbil &. He realised that the Christian was extremely strong, so he
turned back, pretending to flee. The enemy chased him and when he came near
Shurahbil 4b> suddenly pulled the reins, spun around and attempted to spear him in
the throat. The enemy dodged the spear and escaped unharmed and then called out,
"O 'Arabs, you never leave trickery and scheming."

Shurahbil *#•> : Woe unto you! Do you not know that war is scheming and trickery is
its very essence?

Marius : As if your trick helped you in any way.

They then fought until both of their swords broke and they began wrestling. The
Christian was heavily built while Shurahbil 4a was quite thin due to constant fasting
and praying Salah at night so when the Christian squeezed him he suffered much
pain. The prince intended killing him there and then in his saddle. Both sides watched
this spectacle.

Dirar £> narrates:

We became very angry and I said to myself, "Woe unto you, O Dirar. That disbeliever
is killing the scribe of the revelation of Rasulullah ft while you stand and watch.
What prevents you from helping him?"

Dirar * went running to them like a hungry deer leaping and reached them with
neither of them aware of his presence. He stabbed the Christian from behind
penetrating his heart and so the enemy fell down dead, releasing Shurahbil 4» from
his grip. After he fell off his horse, Shurahbil & dismounted to take his upper-body
armour, while Dirar * mounted the dead man's horse.

349

Futuhushdm

The two returned to the Muslim camp where the Muslims congratulated Shurahbil 4b
and thanked Dirar 4b. The two then argued over the upper-body armour.

Dirar 4b : It is mine because I killed him.

Shurahbil 4* '■ But I took it first.

They took their dispute to Abu 'Ubaydah 4$> who feared to choose between the two,
and so both were displeased. He therefore wrote to 'Umar &> without naming the
parties:

"A man went to duel a Christian and made great effort. Another Muslim came to help
him and killed the Christian. So which of the two gets the spoils? "

'Umar & wrote back, "The spoils are for the killer. "

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b then took the spoils from Shurahbil 4b and gave then to Dirar 4b
saying:

That is Allah 's favour. He gives it to whom He wills. [5:54]

59) The day of losing one eye

The Romans were furious at the slaying of the prince of Lan. A brave horseman came
to challenge the Muslims to fight. Az-Zubayr 4&> accepted his challenge and killed
him. A second, third and fourth came. He killed each in turn and took their spoils.
Khalid & then said to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b, "Az-Zubayr has stripped the Romans clean
and spends his life for Allah and His Rasul II. I fear that he is exhausted."

So Abu 'Ubaydah <$> called out to him to return upon oath and he then returned.The
king of the North Europeans then came to fight. Khalid &> killed the king who was
married to the daughter of the prince of Lan. His spoils, crown, belt, armour and
cross were valued at 15,000 (dirham or dinar are not stated - translator's note).

When Bannes was informed he became angry and exclaimed, "Two of our leaders
killed in a single day. I do not think that Christ is helping us."

350

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

He then ordered the archers to fire simultaneously. They thus fired 100,000 arrows at
the Muslims at the same time. The arrows fell down on the Muslims like hail falling
down from the sky. The Muslims were severely wounded of which 700 lost one eye
each. That day was therefore called the 'Day of Losing One Eye'.

Amongst those who lost an eye on that day were al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah, Sa'id bin
Zayd bin ' Amr bin Nufayl at-Tamimi, Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb .$> and Rashid bin
Sa'id. Afterwards if anyone asked one of the one-eyed ones, "What afflicted your
eye?" he would reply, "Do not call it an affliction, but it is a test from Allah."

The arrows fell heavily on the Muslims until nothing could be heard save screams of
"O my eye, my eye!" and they were thrown into heavy confusion. They thus grabbed
their reins and returned.

The accursed Bannes saw the confusion amongst the Muslims and thus encouraged
the archers. He then called out to the infantry. The chained ones then attacked, which
resulted in frightening the already confused Muslims. George, Canter and Theodoras
also came out to attack.

Bannes called out, "Be firm in your attack and shoot the 'Arabs with your arrows."
The archers increased their shower of arrows and the chained ones came with their
weapons in their hands flashing like lightning. They filled the field with war. The
Muslims felt self-pity at the loss of their eyes and began to flee.

'Abbad bin 'Amir narrates:

I saw the army of Polytheism advancing and the Muslims retreating. I said, "There
is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except through Allah, the Most
High, the Most Mighty. O Allah, send down Your help which You sent down to us in
all the other places."

I then called out to the Himyar, "Do you flee from Jannah towards Hell? What is this
fleeing? Do you not feel shame? Are you not in front of Allah? Is He not the Knower
of secrets but you flee from the Disbelievers?"

By Allah! Not a single one of them replied. It was as if they had all gone deaf and
could not hear. I said, "It is as if your tribe was born deaf and started to call out to
the other tribes. All were too busy to reply so I repeatedly recited, "There is no
ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except through Allah, the Most High,
the Most Mighty."

351

Futuhusham

In a short while, Allah's help came. This was when the Muslims fled to the hill and
none remained firm except for the flag-bearers.

60) Once again...women to the rescue

'Abdullah bin Qurt 4t narrates:

I witnessed all the battles but never saw anything as bad as the 'Day of Losing One
Eye.' The horsemen retreated leaving the commanders to fight all by themselves,
holding the flags in their hands. Abu 'Ubaydah 4&, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4&>, 'Amr
bin al-'As, al-Musayyib bin Najiyah al-Fazari, 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr and al-
Fadl bin al-' Abbas were left fighting fiercely.

I said to myself, "How long can these men keep on fighting for when they are so
few?"

Eventually those women who participated in the battles of Rasulullah S joined us in
treating the wounded and giving water to drink and even joining the fight. I never
saw the women of the Quraysh fighting with Rasulullah or with Khalid 4s> at al-
Yamamah as much as they now fought at al-Yarmuk. When the attack came upon
them and the Romans became intermingled with the Muslims, they all came out
striking with swords.

The Muhajirat became mixed with other tribes. The battle heated up and the women
called out their tribal names, mother's names and their own titles. They fought,
prepared to die. They hit the horses of the Muslims in the face with tent-pegs and
showed them their children.

Some of them were fighting the enemy while others stopped the Muslims until they
returned to fight the Disbelievers. Still others treated the wounded whilst others gave
the men to drink.

The Romans charged at the women. The women of Lakhm, Jutham and Khawlan
fled. Khawlah bint al-Azwar, Umm Hakim bint al-Harith and Salama bint Luayy hit
them on their faces and on their heads saying, "Yes, flee. Your presence only makes
us weak!"

The women therefore returned to fight, prepared to die. Umm Hakim bint al-Harith
stood in front of the horses with a sword in her hand. We could not hear any woman
on that day clearer than her exhorting the Muslims, "O 'Arabs, mow their
uncircumcised skins with swords!"

352

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

As for Asma bint Abi Bakr, she tied her reins to the reins of her husband, az-Zubayr
bin al-'Awwam &. Whenever he struck she would equal him.

The men returned to battle upon seeing the women fighting like that and said to each
other, "If we do not fight then we are more entitled to sit in the women's quarters than
the women!"

Praise be to Allah at the way the Quraysh women fought at al- Yarmuk.

'Abdurahman bin al-Fadl narrates from Yazid bin Abi Sufyan & who narrates
from Makhul:

The Battle of al- Yarmuk was fought in Rajab 15 Hijri.

Abu 'Amir narrates:

A disbeliever attacked us when Khawlah bint al-Azwar came and attacked him with
a sword. He struck her forehead with his sword resulting in blood flowing and
Khawlah fell to the ground. 'Afirah bint 'Affan screamed when she saw this and
called out, "By Allah! Dirar faces grief from his sister" and struck the Roman so hard
with her sword that his head flew off and landed some distance away.

She took Khawlah 's head into her lap. Khawlah 's hair was soaked in blood.

'Afirah : How are you?

Khawlah : If Allah Most High wills then I will be fine but I am sure that I will die
now. Can you get my brother, Dirar, to come to me?

'Afirah : O daughter of al-Azwar, I have not seen him.

Khawlah : O Allah, make me the ransom for my brother's life and do not cause Islam
grief on account of him.

'Afirah narrates:

Khawlah tried to get up but was unable to, so we carried her to her place. That same
night I saw her running around giving the men to drink. It was if she had never
experienced any pain. Her brother looked at her and saw her wounds still visible.

Dirar *&> : What happened to you?

353

Futuhushdm

Khawlah : A Christian hit me and 'Afirah killed him.

Dirdr &> : My sister, glad tidings of Jannah for I avenged your wound over and over
again. I killed many of them.

61) Najm bin Mafrah and his eloquence

The battle started early that day and intensified as night neared. Abu 'Ubaydah 4*
fought upholding his flag and the other commanders followed his example until
darkness separated the two parties. On the Day of Losing One Eye no less than
40,000 Romans were killed. It is reported from Khalid 4» that nine swords broke in
his hand that day.

A participant of al-Yarmuk narrates that Khalid 4& killed 100 men.

Hazim bin Ma'n narrates:

In the middle of the battle, Polytheists came riding out on grey and pie-bald horses
as huge as mountains. They wore silk, brocade and protective armour. With a
jewelled cross raised in their midst they attacked all at once, penetrating to the
centre. Then their right-wing attacked our left-wing and their left-wing attacked our
right-wing. The Muslims fell back to the women who began striking their own faces
and wailing, "For Allah's sake, for Allah's sake! Do not bring grief to Islam by
fleeing. Fear your Rabb."

Najm bin Mafrah was with Abu 'Ubaydah &. He was one of the orators of the era,
the most eloquent of all 'Arabs, the most brave-hearted of them and was loud-voiced
and extremely handsome. The eloquent ones and 'Arabs would seek him out to hear
his speech and verse.

'Abdul Malik bin Muhammad narrates from his father who narrates from
Hassan bin Ka'b who narrates from 'Abdul Wahid who narrates from 'Awf who
narrates from Musa bin 'Imran al-Yashkuri who narrates from Nasr bin
Mazin:

The boy, Najm bin Mafrah of the Banu Muharib tribe, turned certain defeat into a
victory for Islam. He never spoke except in rhymed words which he constructed in
an excellent manner. We memorised his verses at the Battle of al-Yarmuk. I have
been informed that the latter scholars of eloquence and fluency such as al-Asam'i and

354

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Abu 'Ubaydah, the linguist, would imitate his excellent speech. Amongst his
exhortions to the Muslims at al- Yarmuk was this one at the time of their defeat: "This
is the decisive day, there is no day thereafter. You all are witnessing it closely. Jannah
is only earned by being patient upon that which is disliked. By Allah! He who
dislikes Jihad will never attain it.

Allah has a Jannah as large as the skies
But it is surrounded by that from which everyone shies.

The highest rank is the rank of martyrdom, so please the Knower of the invisible and
visible. Hypocrisy is doing slow business in its markets so that hypocrisy is now
hidden within hypocrisy. You are the SaMbah of the Prophet of this era yet you are
unfirm and despondent of victory. Gladden the soul of al-Mustafa (the Chosen
Prophet S) with your steadfastness and be resolute in your pure intentions. Beware
of fleeing for then the fire of Hell and the anger of the Great Compelling King will
become compulsory upon you. I swear by Him who decreed all things and rotates the
sky on its rotation and by Whom everything is set, the virgin damsels of Jannah have
decorated themselves for you. In their hands are jugs and cups of spring water.
Whoever desires the Everlasting Abode will take lightly whatever he suffers here.
Attack and you will attain your desires. Spear their chests and you will get the
women of Jannah. Fix your spear-points and Jannah is yours. Be patient and you will
be rewarded. Gladden the Muslims through your good deeds. Beware of losing the
straight path for you will then join the disbelievers in Hell. Avoid what thay say and
agree with what your predecessors did. Listen to what has been revealed in the Quran
because of them:

^J» ( yX^Jj ^gJlS^ ^-_jiJi\ <Ja£>szZ,\ \ + *- => JpfiS (J

355

Futuhushdm

Allah has promised those of you who believe and perform

righteous deeds that He will grant them sovereignty over the

Earth just as He granted it to those before them. He will

establish for them their Din with which He is pleased for them.

He will change their condition of fear into safety. They

worship Me and do not ascribe any partners unto Me. Those

who disbelieve after that are indeed great sinners. [24:55]

Hurry! The devoted ones have overtaken. Strive! The strivers have attained success.
-43U3 j^ 4JJI \yu\ I^Ll; oiJd! t£&

O you who believe fear Allah as He should be feared and do
not die except as Muslims. [3:102]

62) The hair of Rasulullah ft

Khalid &, wearing his red turban, attacked the Romans and scared them by
shouting out his name, "I am Khalid bin al-Walid."

Nestor, a patrician, dressed in brocade came shouting and growling at him. He was
busy fighting so he was unaware of what Nestor was saying. When he finally heard
him babbling in Greek he attacked him. The two began a violent struggle. Suddenly
Khalid's * horse stumbled and fell with him falling on his head.

The Muslims called out, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good
except through Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty."

Khalid & called out, "Alive! I am alive!"

Nestor then jumped on his back. His qalansuwah had fallen off, so he called out, "My
qalansuwah! May Allah have mercy on you." One of his Makhzumi tribesmen rushed

356

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

and gave it to him. Later he was asked, "You were in such a state of combat, yet you
were still worried about your qalansuwah?"

Khdlid &> : When Rasulullah ® shaved his head at his farewell pilgrimage, I took
some of his hair. "What are you going to do with it?" he asked me. "O Rasulullah,"
I replied, "I will seek blesings through it and acquire help through it in fighting my
enemies."

The Prophet S then said, "You will remain victorious for as long as it remains with
you."

I therefore put the hairs in the front of my qalansuwah and have never confronted an
army except that I have triumphed through the blessings of Rasulullah S.He tied the
qalansuwah with his red turban and attacked Nestor. He struck his shoulder with his
sword with such force that it emerged from the other side. Thereafter the remaining
patricians were afraid to come and fight. He called them but none responded.

Khalid 4& went after them, striking them until he reached the point of exhaustion. Al-
Harith bin Hisham al-Makhzumi felt sorry for him and said to Abu 'Ubaydah <&, "O
commander, Khalid <&> has fulfilled his duty and given the sword its due. Why do you
not order him to rest?" So Abu 'Ubaydah 4& walked to him firmly resolved that he
should not go any further and ordered him to rest.

Khdlid 4b '■ O commander, I seek martyrdom in every possible way. If I miss it then
at least Allah knows my intention.

He then attacked and did not stop until the job was completed. The Muslims, led by
the women, joined him, returning after having fled. The battle continued between the
two parties until the Romans fled, thousands of them having been slain.

The chained ones were slashed to pieces. The horses crushed them with their hooves.
The battle lasted until sunset at which point the two parties separated. Rivers of their
blood had flowed and the Earth was carpeted with corpses and the wounded of both
parties, although Roman losses were by far heavier. So both sides returned to recoup
them and tend to their wounds. The women prepared food, bound the wounds and
applied medicine.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* did not ask anyone to go on night-watch duty as everyone was
tired. He therefore went out himself with a group of volunteers. While patrolling he
came across two horsemen who were also patrolling. Each time he said, "La ilaha
illallah," they responded, "Muhammad Rasulullah #!"

357

Futuhushdm

He found them to be az-Zubayr & and his wife Asma and made salam to them.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : cousin of Rasulullah S, why are you two out here?

Az-Zubayr <& : We are guarding the Muslims because Asma said to me, "O cousin of
Rasulullah ®, the Muslims were busy the whole day in Jihad and are therefore too
tired to go on night-watch. Will you help me to go on night-duty?" so I accepted her
request. Abu 'Ubaydah 4* thanked them and requested them to return, but they
refused to and patrolled until morning.

63) Drowning of the Roman army

Abu 'Ubaydah 4jt narrates from S_afwan bin 'Amr bin 'Abdirahman bin
Jubayr:

Abu al-Ja'id was one of the leaders of Hims. When the Romans gathered to go to al-
Yarmuk they entered Hims and then descended upon a town called az-Zura'ah. Abu
al-Ja'id had migrated from Hims to az-Zura'ah because of its pleasant climate and
water. When the Romans came he was celebrating his first night with his new bride.
He went out of his way to entertain them. He fed them and gave them wine to drink.

After the feast they said to him, "Give us your bride."

He refused and swore at them while they insisted on getting her. After he denounced
them, they went and forcibly took her and violated her for the rest of the night. Abu
al-Ja'id wept and cursed them so they killed his son from a previous wife.

The mother took the child's head, wrapped it in her scarf and took it to their
commander. She flung the head at him and complained, "Look what your men have
done to my son. I demand my rights."

When he ignored her she said, "By God! The 'Arabs will triumph over you," and
returned cursing them. In a short while the Muslims had destroyed them.

After Nestor was killed at al-Yarmuk, Abu al-Ja'id arrived at the Muslim camp and
said to Khalid <$>, "This is such a massive army you are facing that even if they
voluntarily gave themselves to you to be killed it would still take a long time. What
will you give me if I trick them so that you triumph this very night?"

358

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Khdlid 4* : We will give you many rewards and exception from Jizyah for you, your
household and descendants for all eternity. We will give you a document to this
effect.

After obtaining his guarantees, Abu al-Ja'id went to the Romans who did not know
of his pact. He led them to the side of a huge valley filled with water and said to them,
"The 'Arabs frequent this place. I will deceive them for you and destoy them.
Remain here and do not move."

In that way he managed to put the an-Naqusah Creek between the Romans and
'Arabs, but the Romans did not realise just how deep it was. After the 'Day of Losing
One Eye', Abu al-Ja'Td realised that the 'Arabs would win. He therefore went to Abu
'Ubaydah 4» whom he found on night-patrol with a group of Muhajirin &.

Abu al-Ja 'id : Why are you just sitting here?

Muslims : What should we do?

Abu al-Ja'id : Tomorrow night you should light many fires.

He then returned to the Romans to implement his plan. The following night the
Muslims lit more than 10,000 fires. Abu al-Ja'id arrived and they said to him, "We
lit the fires as you requested. What is next?

Abu al-Ja'id : I want 500 of your best warriors to show them my plan.

Amongst the 500 chosen were Dirar 4b, Tyad, Rafi', 'Abdullah bin Yasir, 'Abdullah
bin Aws, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar, 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr, Ghanim bin 'Abdillah
and other such chiefs. He then took them on an untravelled path towards the Romans.
As they neared the Romans he showed them a path which only he knew of and said,
"Fight them then withdraw. I will then deal with them."

The Muslims went and shouted. They attacked and then withdrew to the path as
instructed. Abu al-Ja'id then shouted out loud, "O Romans, come and get the fleeing
Muslims. They have all come here and lit their fires intending to do battle."

The Romans rushed out thinking it to be true. Some came riding bareback while
others came on foot. They came chasing the Muslims with Abu al-Ja'id guiding
them. When they reached the an-Naqusah creek he said, "You will have to cross this
path to reach them."

359

Futuhusham

They all rushed in and fell like locusts. So many of them drowned that their numbers
cannot even be imagined. The 'Arabs then named it an-Naqusah (the decreaser)
because it had decreased the Romans.

The rest of the Romans did not know what had happened until morning. They saw
the Muslims in their own camp, yet it seemed that they had attacked and severely
decreased their numbers. They asked, "Who was screaming last night?"

Someone replied, "That man whose wife you raped and child you killed. He has now
got his revenge."

64) George is killed

When Bannes found out, he became certain of his destruction and the 'Arabs'
victory. He sent for Theodoras and said, "What do you think I should do? The 'Arabs
have overcome us and if they but attack us once, none of us will escape. So will you
go and ask them to delay the battle so that we can devise some strategy to save us?"
"We should do that," replied Theodoras.

Bannes called a Lakhmi to convey this message to the Muslims, "The fortunes of war
change and the world will perish. You have been treacherous towards us. Do not
wrong us for wrong only leads to defeat. Delay fighting today, tomorrow a final
solution can be reached."

The Lakhmi conveyed the message to Abu 'Ubaydah &>. He wanted to accept but
Khalid 4» stopped him, saying, "O commander, do not accept for they have no hope
left."

Thereupon Abu 'Ubaydah <& said to Lakhmi, "Go back to your master and tell him
that we will not delay the battle. We are in a hurry to speed things up."

The Lakhmi returned to inform Bannes who was furious and threw a tantrum. He
said, "I was hoping the 'Arabs would accept peace. Now there remains no option but
for me to fight them personally. This I swear by the cross.

He then called the Romans, Caesar's courtiers and all those who were reliable and
ordered them to get their gear.

Bannes led the vanguard himself with a cross in front of him and found the Muslims
already in battle-array. Abu 'Ubaydah 4& had ordered them immediately after Salatul
Fajr to hastily get to their battle-stations. Today they were certain of victory over the

360

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

enemy. Abu 'Ubaydah 4* arranged the flag-bearers and stayed with Khalid 4s> and
other famous horsemen.

At sunrise, George, one of the enemy generals challenged the Muslims, "None but
the commander of the 'Arabs may duel me."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4t> heard and gave Khalid •&> the flag, saying, "You are most entitled
to the flag. If I return then I will take it back, otherwise keep it until 'Umar reaches
a decision."

Khalid 4£ : I will fight him, not you.

Abu 'Ubaydah <£ : No, he seeks me so I should go. You will be my partner in reward.

He went out despite the protests of the Muslims. They went and begged him not to
go but he insisted and so they let him go.

When George saw him he asked, "Are you the commander of the army?"

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* : I am he. I have accepted your challenge so beware of the
battlefield. I will defeat you and kill Bannes after killing you.

George : The nation of the cross will overcome you.

George then attacked. The duel was a protracted one. Khalid 4& and all the Muslims
stood watching and making du'a for Abu 'Ubaydah's 4& safety and victory.
Eventually George fled to his right-wing while Abu 'Ubaydah 4* came chasing him.

George spun around and struck like lightning at Abu 'Ubaydah 4& who struck back.
Abu 'Ubaydah 4*> was faster and cut him from one shoulder to the other.

He was followed by the Muslims who proclaimed, "Allahu Akbar!" He was amazed
at George's huge bulk and did not take anything of the spoils. Khalid 4fe called out,
"Allah be praised for the commander. You have fulfilled your duty, so return to your
flag now." Abu 'Ubaydah 4* refused to return. When the Muslims implored him
under oath he returned and took the flag from Khalid's 4& hand.

65) Sergius seeks revenge

Bannes looked at George's corpse and was extremely upset since George was one of
the pillars of the Roman effort. He thought of leaving but then said to himself, "What
excuse can I offer to Heraclius? I will have to fight. If I am killed I will be saved from

361

Futuhushdm

blame and if I return safely I will be in a better position with Gaesar than fleeing to
him."

He then announced to his men that he intended going for personal combat. He got all
his gear and ornamentations and resembled a mountain of glittering gold. He then
gathered all the patricians, priests and monks and said to them, "Caesar understood
this situation better than you. He wanted peace but you opposed him. Now I will have
to personally fight them."

A courtier who was very religious stepped forward. He would greatly honour the
priests and churches and obeyed all the precepts of the Bible. As a relative of George,
he was extremely upset at his killing. He said, "I swear by the Cross! I will fight the
Muslims. I will either join George or avenge him and kill his murderer. To take up
the sacred cause has become obligatory upon me. I have to fulfil my duty to Christ
and go to fight."

Bannes permitted this courtier, Sergius, to avenge George's death. He wore iron-
plated armour. He carried his sword with him and the priest came to burn the incense
of the church around him, praying for his victory. A monk of Amorium approached
him and gave him his cross which he wore around his neck and said, " This cross is
from the days of Christ. The monks inherit it from each other and rub it for blessings.
It will help you."

Sergius took the cross and called out in 'Arabic, "Duel!" so that the Muslims thought
it was a Christian 'Arab. Dirar 4& went forth like a blazing fire. When he saw
Sergius 's huge bulk he regretted taking such gear which weighed him down and said
to himself, "What use will this clothing be to me if my death comes?" and returned.

The people thought that he had fled out of fright. Someone said, "Dirar 4fc flees from
the Christian when he has not even struck him."

Dirar & went straight to his tent without speaking to anyone. He stripped off his
clothing except for his trousers. He took his bow, sword and shield and hastened back
to the battlefield only to find that Malik an-Nakha'i & had beat him to the patrician.

Malik & was such a tall man that whenever he mounted his horse his legs would
reach the ground. Dirar * watched as he called out, "Come forward, O enemy of
Allah, O worshipper of the cross, come to a man of high birth who helps the beloved
Muhammad S."

Sergius was so terrified that he could not answer. Malik 4b went and attacked
seeking to spear him but could not find a good target due to his all-protecting iron.

362

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

Malik & then thrust his spear through the horse's haunch until it came out through
the other side. He wanted to remove it from the kicking horse but it was embedded
in the horse's ribs and could not be removed. The horse fell with Sergius still on it,
chained to his saddle.

Dirar & rushed at Sergius and struck his head with his sword, splitting his head into
two and then took the booty.

Malik 4fe : What is this, Dirar 4&? Since when did you become my partner in my prey?

Dirdr ^>: I am not your partner, the spoils are mine alone.

Malik 4& : But I killed his horse.

Dirdr 4» : Sometimes he who sits eats, not he who runs.

Malik 4a (smiling) : Take your prey. Allah bless you in it.

Dirdr <$> : No, you take it. I was only joking. By Allah! I will not take a thing. You
are more entitled to it.

He then stripped the spoils off Sergius and carried them on his shoulders. It was so
heavy that he could barely walk and perspired profusely.

Zuhayr bin 'Abid narrates:

I saw him walking and carrying the spoils while Malik was on horseback. He went
until he deposited it all in Malik's tent. Abu 'Ubaydah 4& then said, "May my parents
be sacrificed for you! These are such people who sacrifice their lives for Allah and
desire nothing of this world."

66) Bannes comes out to fight

The killing of Sergius clipped Bannes's wing. He gathered his men and said, "Hear,
O men of Caesar, convey to others what I am about to say. I have expended every
effort in defending this religion, Caesar and his bounties. However, I can never hope
to overcome the Lord of Heaven. He has helped the 'Arabs against us and given them
our lands. I cannot show my face again to Caesar except if I now fight in the place
of cutting and thrusting. I have decided to give one of you the cross while I go to fight
the Muslims. If I am killed then I am free of shame and Caesar's blame. If I am
blessed with victory then Caesar will know that I was not deficient in his defence."

363

Futithushdm

Romans : O king, do not go until we do. If we are killed then you can do as you
please.

Bannes then swore by the Four Churches that none would fight before him so they
stopped arguing. He called his son and gave him the cross, saying, "Stay in my
place." He then put on his gear which was brought to him.

(Four Churches probably refers to the ancient four centres of Christianity in the East
i.e. Alexandria, Jerusalem, Antioch and Constantinople — translator's note).

Bannes's gear was valued at 60,000 dinar for it was completely encrusted in jewels.
A monk appeared before him and said, "O king, I do not see dueling as an option for
you. I do not like it."

Bannes : Why is that?

Monk : I saw a dream... rather return and send someone else.

Bannes : I will not. I prefer fighting to shame.

So they burnt incense for him and bade him farewell. He departed like a flashing
mountain of gold. He paused between the two parties, challenging the Muslims and
threatening them by calling out his name.

The first to recognise him was Khalid •* who said, "That is Bannes. The
commander of the enemy has come out. By Allah! Things are not going well for
them." While Bannes was still threatening them, a boy of the Aws tribe went to him
and said, "By Allah! I am longing for Jannah."

Bannes attacked him with a golden spear that he kept under his thigh and martyred
him. Allah then sped his soul to Jannah.

Abu Hurayrah 4fe narrates:

I saw the boy after he fell. He was pointing with his fingers to the sky, not at all
concerned at what had befallen him. I perceived that that was because of the women
of Jannah he was seeing.

Bannes pranced about in his place, becoming more bold and issuing challenges. The
Muslims came rushing to him, all calling out, "O Allah, let his death be at my hand."
The first to reach him was Malik an-Nakha'i al-Ashtar who said, "O you
uncircumcised Christian, do not be proud of killing our man because he was desirous

364

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

of meeting his Rabb. Every single one of us desires Paradise. If you wish to be our
neighbour in Paradise then declare your embracing of Islam. Otherwise you will have
to pay Jizyah, or failing that also, you will certainly be destroyed."

Bannes : You are my enemy, Khalid bin al-Walid?

Malik <&> : No, I am Malik an-Nakha'i, a Sahabi of Rasulullah S.

Bannes : War is the only option.

Bannes who was a great warrior then attacked Malik 4h with his spear. He hit him
right through his helmet which pressed against his forehead, shattering his eye-
sockets. Hence he was nicknamed, 'al-Ashtar', the shattered one.

Malik &> wanted to flee but then stood firm and sought Allah's help. Blood was
flowing from his forehead and Allah's enemy thought that he was about to die and
waited for him to fall off his horse. Suddenly Malik 4& attacked him and the Muslims
called out, "O Malik, seek Allah's help. He will help you against your opponent."

Malik 4t narrates:

I implored Allah's help, conveyed salutations upon Rasulullah ® and struck him such
a heavy blow wherein there was no weakness. This made me realise that the time of
death is fixed as a fortress is fixed. Bannes felt the blow and fled to his camp.

67) The great victory

When Bannes fled Khalid 4z called out, "O people of victory and war, attack them
while they are confused."

He and his men attacked. Every commander then charged with his men, all reciting,
"La ilaha illallah wallahu Akbar!"

The Romans displayed great patience but lost nerve at sunset. They fled, followed by
the Muslims who captured or killed as they pleased. About 100,000 Romans were
killed, a similar amount were captured and a similar amount drowned in an-Naqusah
Creek. Innumerable numbers of them fled to the mountains and valleys. The Muslims
pursued them, killing and capturing them until night set in. Abu 'Ubaydah 4*> then
called out, "Leave them until morning."

The Muslims returned with booty and tents, gold or silver utensils, rugs, pillows and
velvet-like carpets. Abu 'Ubaydah <$> appointed some men to gather the booty. The

365

Futuhushdm

Muslims spent the night rejoicing until morning. They then found no trace of the
Romans, most of them having drowned in the creek.

'Amir bin Yasir narrates from Nawfal bin 'Adi who narrates from Jabir bin
Nasr who narrates from Hamid bin Majid:

Abu 'Ubaydah & tried to have the Romans counted but the sheer magnitude
overwhelmed him. He then ordered reeds to be cut from the valley and placed on
each corpse {numbered? - translator's note) and found the dead to be 105,000 and
the prisoners 40,000. This was excluding those drowned in the creek. 4,000 Muslims
were martyred.

He also found several heads in the Yarmuk River and it could not be determined
whether they were Roman or 'Arab. He then prayed Salatul Janazah over the martyrs.

The Muslims went to the mountains and valleys to capture the fugitives. They met a
shepherd and asked him, "Did any Romans pass through here?"

"Yes," he replied, "A patrician passed by me with about 40,000 men."

That was none other than Bannes. Khalid 4g> took his elite squad and went in pursuit
of them. He caught up with them in Damascus. When he saw them he called out,
"AMhuAkbar!"

The Muslims called out, "Allahu Akbar!" and attacked, killing a mass of them.

Bannes got off his horse in order to disguise himself to be safe. However, a Muslim
came and killed him. It was either an-Nu'man bin Jahlah al-Azdi or 'Asim bin
Khawwal al-Yarbu'i.

The people of Damascus came out to meet Khalid & and said to him, "We remain
upon the treaty which we agreed upon."

Khalid 4& '■ Yes, so you do.

He then went in pursuit of the Romans, killing them wherever he found them until
he reached the Pass of the Eagle where he remained for a day. He then advanced
towards Hims. Upon being informed of this, Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> and his men went to
meet up with him. The other commanders were spread out in all directions hunting
down the fugitives.

366

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

68) Glad-tidings

The Muslims eventually gathered and returned to Damascus. There Abu'Ubaydah &
gathered the booty and extracted the state's one-fifth share. He wrote the following
letter to 'Umar * to inform him of the victory:

In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful and
may His salutations be on His Chosen Prophet, His selected
Messenger.

From : Abu 'Ubaydah 'Amir bin al-Jarrdh.

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity. I thank Him
for His bounties and that He specially chose us for the blessings
of the Prophet of mercy and Intercessor of the Ummah.

Know, O Commander of the Believers, that I came to al-Yarmuk
and Bonnes, leader of the Roman army camped close to us. The
Muslims had never seen a bigger army. Allah reduced them and
helped us against them through His special favour. We killed
about 105,000 of them and captured 40,000. Allah granted
4,000 Muslims the gift of martyrdom. I also found severed heads
whom I did not recognise but I still prayed Saldtul Jandzah for
them and buried them. 'Asim bin Khawwdl killed Bannes at
Damascus.

Before the final encounter a man from amongst them, Abu al-
Ja 'id from Hims, tricked them and flung many Romans into the
Ndqusah Creek, causing them all to drown. None can estimate
the amount except Allah.

As for the fugitives killed in the mountains and valleys I
counted them to be more than 1,000. We have possession of their
wealth, horses, forts and lands.

367

Futuhushdm

We have written this letter after the victory and after having
entered Damascus. Saldm, Allah s mercy and His blessings be
upon you and all the Muslims.

He folded and sealed the letter and called Huthayfah bin al-Yaman <&. He handed him
the letter and told ten Muhajirin and Ansar to join him. He said to them, "Take this
letter of victory and glad-tidings to the Commander of the Believers. Your reward is
Allah's responsibility." The eleven left in the same hour and travelled day and night
until they reached al-Madinah.

'Abdullah bin 'Awf al-M alik! narrates from his father:

On the night Allah defeated the Romans at al-Yarmuk, 'Umar 4» saw Rasulullah S
in a dream. He was sitting in his tomb with Abu Bakr 4s>. 'Umar <& made salam and
said, "O Rasulullah 0, verily my heart is preoccupied with worry for the Muslims
and what Allah will do to them. I have heard that the Romans number 1 ,060,000.

Rasulullah S : Glad-tidings 'Umar, Allah has granted the Muslims victory and
defeated their enemy and killed so many.

^ij i^jui s>'fi jiijTiiL

That is the Abode of the Hereafter which we made for those
who neither desire highness on Earth nor corruption. [28:83]

In the morning 'Umar & led the Muslims in Salatul Fajr and then informed them of
his dream. They rejoiced because they knew that the Devil could not take the form
of Rasulullah S.

When the letter arrived it was found to correspond exactly to what had been revealed
in the dream, including the date. 'Umar 4e fell down prostrate out of thanks and the
Muslims raised cries of, "La ilaha illallah!" and "Allahu Akbar!" and conveyed
salutations on Rasulullah ®. He then asked, "O Huthayfah, did Abu 'Ubaydah divide
the booty?"

"O Commander of the Believers," he replied, "He is awaiting your instructions."

368

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

'Umar 4$> called for an ink-pot and paper and wrote:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : Allah 's slave, 'Umar bin al-Khattdb.

To : His governor over Syria.

Saldm 'Alayka

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and I
convey salutations upon His Prophet Muhammad.

I am delighted at the victory Allah granted to the Muslims and
the defeat of Rome. When my letter reaches you divide the booty
amongst the Muslims but give preference to the early Muslims.
Give each one his due right. Protect the Muslims and thank them
for their actions and patience. Stay where you are until further
instructions.

Peace and Allah s mercy and blessings be upon you and all the
Muslims.

He folded the letter and gave it to Huthayfah 4&.

69) Disputes over the booty

Huthayfah & reached Abu 'Ubaydah <& at Damascus. He made salam to him and all
the Muslims and gave him the letter. Abu 'Ubaydah 4& divided the booty. Each
horseman got 24,000 Mithqal of gold (105 kg) and the footmen got 8,000 (35 kg).
The same amount was given in silver. He gave the owner of an 'Arab horse two
shares and of a Turkish horse one. The owners of Turkish horses complained, "Join
us with the 'Arab horses."

Abu 'Ubaydah •& replied, "I divided the booty in the same manner as Rasulullah ®
divided amongst the Sahabah."

They did not accept his word and so he wrote to 'Umar &. 'Umar & replied,

369

Futuhushdm

"You have implemented the Sunnah of Rasululldh £&. Do not change your
decision. Give the horseman of an 'Arab horse two shares and the low-grade
horse one share. Rasululldh 31 distinguished between them at Khaybar in
that manner. "

When the letter reached Abu 'Ubaydah 4b he read it out to the Muslims, and said, "I
had not intended to degrade anyone amongst them, but was simply following the
Sunnah of Rasulullah 0."

After the division of booty, Khalid 4b said, "A man who owns a low-grade horse has
sought my intercession to be granted a double share like the 'Arab horses."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b refused and said, "By Allah! I would rather sink in sand than do
that."

'Uthman narrates from Ibn az-Zubayr:

I saw my father, az-Zubayr bin al-Awwam 4b, in the Battle of al-Yarmuk with two
horses which he took turns in riding to battle. Abu 'Ubaydah 4b gave him three
shares, a share for himself and two for the horse. So az-Zubayr 4b said, "Will you not
treat me as Rasulullah H treated me at Khaybar? He gave me five shares, one for me
and four for my two horses."

Al-Miqddd bin 'Amr 4b: We were both at Badr and both had two horses each so
Rasulullah H gave two shares for two horses in both cases. (Al-Miqddd al-Kindi 4b is
called both Ibn al-Aswad and Ibn 'Amr - translator 's note).

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : O Miqdad, you speak the truth. I am following the deed of
Rasulullah S in what I gave az-Zubayr.

Jabir bin 'Abdillah al-Ansari 4b then came and testified that Rasulullah S had given
az-Zubayr & five shares at Khaybar. Thereupon horsemen came who owned four or
five 'Arab horses and said, "Grant us the extra shares like az-Zubayr."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& then wrote to 'Umar •$> who replied,

" Az-Zubayr^ speaks the truth. Rasululldh SB gave him five shares especially
at Khaybar. Do not give anyone besides him these extra shares. "

370

Part 3: Al - Yarmuk

'Urwa narrates from Abu az-Zubayr:

Az-Zubayr *#&> had received a slave-boy from the booty of 'Amman who ran away
from him. Before the booty of al- Yarmuk was distributed he recognised him amongst
the captives and took him. The trustee of the booty proclaimed, "I will not leave him
to you."

While they argued, Abu 'Ubaydah 4fc arrived and asked, "What is wrong with you
two?"

Az-Zubayr 4fe : O commander, this is my slave who I got from the booty of 'Amman.
He ran away from me and now I have found him so I am most entitled to him.

Abu 'Ubaydah & : The cousin of Rasulullah & speaks the truth. I myself gave him
to him from the booty of 'Amman.

He then gave the slave to az-Zubayr 4» who took him.

Zayd al-Muradi narrates:

A slave-girl of ours ran away to the enemy and we caught her at al- Yarmuk. We
claimed her from Abu 'Ubaydah <& who wrote to 'Umar &. He replied,

"If she was caught from enemy lands, they may keep her, if not she is part of
the general booty. "

Abu 'Ubaydah <&, ordered her to be with the general booty which angered the
people. He said to them, "By Allah besides Whom there is no other deity! This is the
letter of 'Umar bin al-Khattab. He ruled as I had now ordered for you."

They accepted this and handed her over.

Luayy bin ' Abd Rabbihi narrates from Salim the freed-slave of Huthayfah bin
al-Yaman who narrates from al-Qasit bin Salamah bin 'Adi bin 'Asim who
narrates from the narrators of the conquest of Syria:

When Allah defeated the Romans at al- Yarmuk at the hands of the Sahabah & of
Rasulullah S the news reached Heraclius of the defeat and killing of Bannes and
George. He then said, "I knew it would reach this point" and then awaited the
Muslims' next move.

371

<Part4

<BaytuC Muqaddas

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Contents

1 . March on Baytul Muqaddas (Jerusalem)

2. The siege of Baytul Muqaddas

3. The patriarch of Baytul Muqaddas

4. The battle

5. Negotiations

6. Abu 'Ubaydah writes to 'Umar 4&

7. 'Ali's 4s» recommendation

8. 'Umar &> sets out for Baytul Muqaddas

9. Meeting Abu 'Ubaydah 4&>

10. Meeting Bilal *

1 1 . The world tries to seduce 'Umar 4&

12. 'Umar <&> arrives at Baytul Muqaddas

1 3 . Conquest of Baytul Muqaddas

1 4 . The Rabbi 's prophecy

15. Ka'b the Rabbi embraces Islam

16. The author repeats his reason for compiling the book

17. Yazid 4& reaches Caesarea

1 8 . The brothers of Aleppo

19. The ambush

20. The delegation from Aleppo

2 1 . Terms of surrender

22. Allah saves the Muslims

23. Yuqanna's revenge

375

Futuhushdm

24. I die as a Muslim

25. Attack on the fort

26. The night raid

27. The second raid

28. Khalid's <«&> revenge

29. The spy

30. 'Umar's <#> complaint

3 1 . Yamani reinforcements

32. The black giant

33. Damis's bravery

34. Damis's dream

35. Damis's plan

36. Damis's prisoners

37. The Muslims enter the fort

38. The fort is captured

39. Yuqanna's conversion

40. Yuqanna's dream

4 1 . Yuqanna 's questions

42. The next destination

376

Part 4

Baytul Muqaddas

1) March on Baytul Muqaddas (Jerusalem)

After the Muslim armies had been in Damascus for a month, Abu 'Ubaydah 4&>
summoned all the generals and said, "Advise me as to what I should do and where I
should turn my attention to."

It was decided between either Caesarea or Baytul Muqaddas.

Abu 'Ubaydah & : So which of the two should it be?

Generals : You are the trusted one. Wherever you go we will follow.

Mu 'dth bin Jabal <$> : Write to 'Umar bin al-Khattab, the Commander of the Believers.
Go wherever he tells you to and seek Allah's help.

Abii 'Ubaydah 4fe : O Mu'ath, your view is sound.

So he wrote to him to inform him that he had resolved upon going either to Caesarea or
Baytul Muqaddas and asked which of the two he should invade. 'Umar <$> read the
letter out to the Muslims and asked for their views.

'Ali 4fc : O Commander of the Believers, order your man to go to Baytul Muqaddas
to besiege her and fight her people. This is the best option. Thereafter, if Allah Most
High wills, He will conquer Caesarea. This is what Rasulullah told me.

'Umar <&> : You have spoken the truth, Abu al-Hasan.

He then wrote the following letter:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

From : Allah 's slave, 'Umar bin al-Khattab

To : His governor over Syria, Abii 'Ubaydah

377

Futuhushdm

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and convey
salutations upon His Prophet.

I have received your letter which asks as to which direction you
should advance in. The cousin ofRasululldh S recommends that
you march on Baytul Muqaddas for Allah, Most Pure and High
will conquer her through you.

Was-Saldm 'alayka.

He folded the letter and handed it for delivery to 'Arfajah.

The messenger met Abu 'Ubaydah <&> at al-Jabiyah where he gave him the letter. Abu
'Ubaydah 4k read it out to the Muslims who rejoiced at going to Baytul Muqaddas.
He called Khalid 4&, gave him a flag and sent him with 5,000 elite cavalry to Baytul
Muqaddas. He then ordered Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4s to meet Khalid <& at Baytul
Muqaddas with another 5,000. He said, "O Ibn Abi Sufyan, I only know you to be a
well-wisher. When you reach Ayla {Roman name for Baytul Muqaddas - translator s
note) raise your voices with, "La ilaha illallah," and "Allahu Akbar". Ask Allah,
through the intercession of His Prophet S as well as the other prophets and pious
people who dwelt in Baytul Muqaddas, to make her conquest easy for the Muslims."

Yazid <&> took the flag and went.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& then summoned Shurahbil bin Hasanah 4fr and gave him 5,000
Yamani horsemen, saying, "Take these men to Baytul Muqaddas but when you reach
there do not mix your troops with the other armies who arrived there before you."

Then he called al-Mirqal bin Hashim bin 'Utbah bin Abi Waqqas. He sent him behind
Shurahbil 4&> with 5,000 horsemen of mixed tribes and said, "Camp at the fort of
Baytul Muqaddas and remain separated from the other Muslim armies."

The fifth flag was for al-Musayyib bin Najiyah with 5,000 cavalry from Nakha' and
other tribes. The sixth flag was for Qays bin Hubayrah with 5,000 cavalry and the
seventh for 'Urwah bin Muhalhil bin Zayd al-Khayl with 5,000 cavalry.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& thus sent a total of 35,000 men to Baytul Muqaddas. Each day a
different one of the seven generals departed for the city. This was to terrify Allah's
enemies.

378

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

The first to arrive was Khalid 4*>- He and his men raised cries of "Allahu Akbar!
Allahu Akbar!" to such an extent that the people became alarmed and their hearts
shook. They climbed up the city walls and upon seeing his small force, thought that
it was the entire army and considered it quite petty. Khalid <&> camped at the Jericho
Gate.

On the second day, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan <&> arrived; Shurahbil bin Hasanah 4& on
the third; al-Mirqal on the fourth; al-Musayyib bin Najiyah on the fifth; Qays bin
Hubayrah on the sixth and 'Urwah bin Muhalhil, who camped near the ar-Ramlah
roads, arrived on the seventh day.

'Abdullah bin 'Amir bin Rabi'ah al-Ghatfani narrates:

Every Muslim who arrived at Baytul Muqaddas proclaimed, "Allahu Akbar!" and
performed Salah for as long as Allah desired him to. He would then beseech Allah
for victory against the enemies.

In other reports Yazid & was sent first while Abu 'Ubaydah «&, Khalid «&>, the
remainder of the army, the women, the children, the animals and all the booty Allah
had granted to the Muslims remained at their place.

2) The siege of Baytul Muqaddas

For three days not so much as a duel took place. The enemy neither sent an envoy
nor spoke to the Muslims in any way. Instead, they heavily fortified their walls with
catapults, swords, shields and assorted weaponry.

Al-Musayyib bin Najiyah al-Fazari narrates:

We had not come to any city in all of Syria which was more highly decorated and
equipped than Baytul Muqaddas. The people of every place we came to became
feeble, and despair and fear entered their hearts - not so Baytul Muqaddas. We
besieged them for three days but not a single one of them came to speak to us. All
they did was show off their tight security and defences.

On the fourth day a bedouin said to Shurahbil 4&>, "O commander, it is as if these
people are deaf and cannot hear us or dumb and cannot speak to us or blind and
cannot see us. Lead us in an attack against them."

379

Futuhushdm

After Salatul Fajr on the fifth day, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4& went to speak to them.
He unsheathed his sword and took a translator with him. He reached close enough to
the city wall for them to hear him, but they maintained their silence.

Yazid 4*> : Say to them that the commander of the 'Arabs says - Will you not accept
an invitation to Islam, to the Truth, to the declaration of sincerity i.e. "There is no
deity but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Our Rabb will then
forgive all your past sins and your blood will be safe. If you refuse then surrender as
those before you surrendered. Bear in mind that they were stronger and greater in
number than you. If you refuse both these options then ruin will befall you and you
can reserve your place in Hell.

Translator : O people, who is your spokesman?

Priest (wearing clothing of hair) : I am. What do you want?

Translator : The general calls you to this... so you now have three options; either
Islam or Jizyah or the sword.

The priest conveyed the message to those behind him. They made declarations of
their disbelief and said, "We will never leave the religion of honour. To be killed is a
lighter matter for us." The translator translated for Yazid 4» who went to tell the other
generals and said, "Why are you still waiting to attack them?"

Generals : Abu 'Ubaydah has not ordered us to attack them, only to besiege them.
We should write to him and if he permits, we will attack.

Yazid 4a therefore wrote to him, informing him of their reply and requesting further
instructions. Abu 'Ubaydah replied that they should attack and that he would
personally arrive soon. Upon receiving the letter, the Muslims spent the night
rejoicing and awaiting the arrival of morning. They all anticipated fighting the enemy
and every general hoped that the city's conquest would be at his hands so that he
could be the first to perform salah therein and observe all the sacred relics of the
ancient prophets.

At dawn, Yazid 4*> led his men in Salatul Fajr and recited:

380

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

O my people enter the sacred land (Baytul Muqadda and

surrounds) which Allah has decreed for you and do not turn

back. [5:23]

It is said that Allah inspired each general to recite that verse as if they had all agreed
to it. After Salah it was called out, "To arms! To arms! O cavalry of Allah, mount
your horses."

The first to advance was the Himyar and the other Yamanis. The Muslims advanced
like a striking black snake.

The enemy watched, all spread out in battle-array. They began opening fire,
showering the Muslims with arrows like a swarm of locusts. The Muslims protected
themselves with their shields. The battle was fierce and lasted from morning until
sunset. The enemy showed no fear and gave the Muslims no hope of conquering their
city.

At sunset the Muslims returned to their camp and performed the salah which Allah
had decreed upon them. They saw to themselves and ate supper. Thereafter they lit
numerous fires because they had plenty of firewood with them. Some engaged in
Salah, others recited the Quran, others wept before Allah while the fatigued ones
slept.

The next morning the Muslims again advanced, taking the name of Allah profusely,
praising Him and sending salutations upon Rasulullah ®. The archers went ahead
and began firing, taking the name of Allah with each arrow shot and loudly making
du'a.

The Muslims fought the people of Baytul Muqaddas for ten days, but the enemy only
displayed happiness and showed not the least trace of fear. On the eleventh day, Abu
'Ubaydah's <&> slave, Salim, was seen coming, carrying his master's flag. Abu
'Ubaydah 4» then arrived, surrounded by horsemen. On his right was Khalid <& and
on his left 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr <&. The Muslims gave a huge shout of "La
ilaha illallah wallahu AkbarF'which spread amongst the tribes.

3) The Patriarch of Baytul Muqaddas

The Christians finally felt fear. Their leaders, elders and patricians went to the great
Cathedral of al-Qumamah or al-'Imamah. They humbly submitted themselves before
the patriarch whom they greatly revered and said, "O father, their chief commander

381

Futuhushdm

has brought the rest of the Muslims and is causing this great noise." When the
bishop heard this his face and colour changed and he said, "This is it. This is it."

Christians : What is it, O our patriarch and great father?

Patriarch : By the Gospel! If their commander has come then your end is at hand.

Christians : How is that?

Patriarch : We have learnt from knowledge inherited from the ancients that a
reddish-brown man named 'Umar who is a companion of their prophet called
Muhammad will conquer the length and breadth of the land. If he has come then there
is no way of fighting him and you will have no power against him. I must examine
his appearance. If it is indeed him then I will surrender and accept whatever he
demands. If it someone else then we shall never surrender for none but 'Umar can
conquer our city.

The patriarch got up surrounded by priests, monks and acolytes who raised the cross
above his head and opened the Bible before him. The patricians then also gathered
around him. He climbed the city wall at the side where Abu 'Ubaydah <& had arrived.
He saw the Muslims making salam and honouring their commander. They
immediately returned to fighting like hunting lions.

A man who had walked in front of the patriarch then called out, "O Muslims, stop
fighting so that we may ask you some questions." When the Muslims stopped
fighting, a Roman called out in 'Arabic, "We know the description of the man who
will conquer our city and all the land. If he is your commander we shall surrender
otherwise if it is not him we shall never surrender."

A group of Muslims went to inform Abu 'Ubaydah 4&. When he went to them, the
patriarch said, "This is not him. Rejoice and defend your city, religion and women."

The Christians raised their voices with their words of disbelief and proceeded to
attack. A vicious fight ensued. The patriarch returned to his cathedral without saying
a single word to Abu 'Ubaydah <&, but ordered his people to carry on fighting.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> also returned to his men.

Khdlid 4fr : What did they want from you?

Abu 'Ubaydah <$> : I really do not know. I went out to them as you saw when one of
their devils appeared. This devil who misleads them examined me and shouted
something and left without saying a single word to me.

382

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Khdlid 4fr '• There must be some kind of reason for all this which we will find out.
Abu 'Ubaydah & : For now, destroy them with war.
The Muslims then attacked.

4) The Battle

The Muslims attacked Baytul Muqaddas during a harsh winter and the inhabitants
thought that their enemies would not be able to overcome them at that time.

The Yamani archers took aim and opened fire with arrows made of mountain trees
which had a heavy impact. The Romans had no protection due to their indifference
and before they knew it the arrows came thudding into their chests right through to
their backs.

Muhalhil or 'Awf bin Muhayil narrates:

Allah be praised at the 'Arabs of Yaman. I saw them firing at the Romans who came
tumbling down their wall one after the other like a flock of sheep. When they saw the
effect of the arrows they covered the wall with shields, leather and anything else
strong enough to deflect the arrows.

The Romans saw Dirar 4^> coming towards the Great Gate. At the top of the gate there
was a great patrician wearing a jewelled cross on his head and exhorting the people
to battle. He was surrounded by boys holding stringed bows and spears.

'Awf bin Muhalhil narrates:

I saw Dirar •&> sneaking towards the tower where the patrician was. When he came
near he fired an arrow. I saw how high the wall and tower were and said to myself,
"What can that arrow do when that patrician is wearing shiny upper-body armour and
the wall is so high?"

But I swear by Allah! The arrow penetrated his mouth and he fell to the bottom of
the tower. The people heard a great scream with a frightening echo and realised that
he had been killed.

Four months had passed since Abu 'Ubaydah's <&> arrival and not a day had gone
without intense fighting. The Muslims persevered against the cold, snow and rain.

383

Futuhushdm

When the Romans began to feel the pinch of the siege, they went to the cathedral,
prostrated before the patriarch and said, "O Father, the siege of these 'Arabs is
hurting us and we cannot even hope for help from Caesar because he is obviously too
busy recovering after the defeat of his army. The 'Arabs like to fight more than we
do. We have not spoken a single word to them since they arrived because we look
down upon them, but now things are so bad we ask you to go to them and see what
they want. If their terms are acceptable then we will comply, but if they are too
difficult then we will open the gates and fight them until either we are all killed or
we defeat them."

The patriarch agreed. He put on his robes, climbed the wall with them carrying a
cross in front of him. The priests and monks surrounded him, carrying open Bibles
and incense. When they reached the spot facing Abu 'Ubaydah <&> someone shouted
in pure 'Arabic, "O 'Arabs, the pillar of the Christian Faith and master of its Law has
come to speak to you. Let your commander come here."

5) Negotiations

When Abu 'Ubaydah ^ was informed, he said, "By Allah! I will answer him where
he calls me." He went with a group of officers, Sahabah *& and a translator. Upon
reaching them they said to the translator, " What do you want in our sacred city? God
becomes angry and destroy whoever targets it."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4*> : Tell them that yes, she is indeed a noble city. From her our
Prophet ® was taken to the Heavens and approached his Rabb the distance of two
bows or even closer. She is the origin of the Prophets and their graves are in her. We
are more entitled to her than you and will stay here until Allah grants her to us just
as He granted the other cities to us.

Patriarch : So what exactly do want from us?

Abu 'Ubaydah 4» : One of three options - The first is that you say, "There is no deity
but Allah alone Who has no partner and that Muhammad is His Slave and
Messenger." If you accept these words then our rights and duties will be the same.

Patriarch : Those are very great words. We already recite them except that we do not
accept Prophet Muhammad to be a Messenger.

384

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> : O enemy of Allah, you lie! You people have never taken Allah to
be One. Allah has informed us in His Book that you say, "Christ is the son of God"
but there is no deity except Allah. He is Pure and High, incomparably high above
what the oppressors attribute to Him.

Patriarch : Then this option we cannot accept. What is the second option?

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : You will surrender your city and pay us the Jizyah in a state of
humility just as the other cities of Syria are paying.

Patriarch : That is even worse than the first option because we do not lower
ourselves to anyone.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4i> '■ Then we will fight you until Allah grants us victory over you. We
will enslave your women and children and kill all the men who oppose the
declaration of Allah's Unity and cling to their declaration of disbelief.

Patriarch : We shall not surrender our city even if it means death. Why should we
surrender when we have ample provisions to withstand your siege, excellent
equipment and powerful soldiers? We are not like those cities which voluntarily paid
Jizyah. They are people upon whom Christ is angry, hence He placed them under
your rule. However, we live in a city in which if anyone prays to Christ, He answers
him.

Abu 'Ubaydah ^> : You lie again, O enemy of Allah.

flirt oi^=t £\£= vui^ Ailj ^Ijrt^i

Christ, son of Mary, was nothing but a Messenger. Many

Messengers passed before him and his mother was a truthful,

virtuous lady. Both of them ate food (which Allah does not do).

[5:75]

Patriarch : I swear by Christ! Even if you besiege us for twenty years you will never
be able to conquer us. We will only be conquered by a certain man who is described
in our Scriptures and knowledge. This city will be conquered by a companion of

385

Futuhushdm

Muhammad called 'Umar. He will be known as al-Faruq (the one who distinguishes
between Truth and Falsehood.) He is a stern faced man who is not concerned about
the rebuke of people when it comes to obeying Allah. This is not your description.

Abu 'Ubaydah ^> (laughing) : By the Rabb of the Ka'bah! We have conquered the
city. Will you recognise this man if you see him?

Patriarch : Why should I not when I have his exact description and age?

Abu 'Ubaydah ^> : By Allah! He is our Khalifah and Sahabi of our Prophet S.

Patriarch : If he is as you say then, seeing that you know us to be truthful, you should
stop the bloodshed and send for your man to come here. If we see that it is in fact
him, we will open our city for him without any disturbance and pay the Jizyah.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4a : I will send for him. In the interim, are you still going to fight us
or can we be safe and desist from you?

Patriarch : O 'Arabs, do you never leave violence? We have given you such
information in complete honesty in order to save lives but you still mention battle.

Abit 'Ubaydah «&> : Yes. In fact we do love battle more than we love life for through
it we hope for our Rabb's forgiveness.

He then announced a ceasefire and both left.

6) Abu 'Ubaydah 4k> writes to 'Umar &

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& gathered the generals and Muslims and told them what the
Patriarch had said. They raised their voices proclaiming, "La ilaha illallah Allahu
Akbar!" and said, "O commander, do it! Write to the Commander of the Believers.
Perhaps he will come and conquer this city for us."

Shurahbil <&> : Be patient. All we have to do is to say that the Khalifah is already
amongst us. We will show them Khalid 4& and then they will open the gates and save
us a lot of difficulty.

Khalid 4e resembled 'Umar *&> the most.

In the morning the translator announced to the Christians, "The Khalifah has come."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& gave Khalid 4& instructions and so they all mounted and went to
the enemy, saying, "The man whom you seek has come."

386

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

They informed the patriarch who came and stood on the city wall and said, "Tell him
to come forward so that we can see him."

When Khalid *&> came forward he said, "By Christ! This looks like it is him but some
signs are missing. I implore you in the name of your religion, tell me the truth - who
are you really?

Khalid £& : I am one of his companions.

Patriarch : You 'Arab boys, this is treachery! By Christ! Until we do not see the
described man we will neither open the gates nor will any of us speak to you even if
you besiege us for twenty years.

He left without saying anything further, so the Muslims said, "Write to the Commander
of the Believers. Perhaps he will come and grace this place."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> then wrote :

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

To : Allah's slave, the Commander of the Believers, 'Umar bin
al-Khattdb

From : His governor, Abu 'Ubaydah Amir bin al-Jarrdh

As-Salamu 'alayka

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and convey
salutations upon His Prophet Muhammad.

Know, O Commander of the Believers, that we arrived at Baytul
Muqaddas and have been fighting now for four months. Every
day we attack each other. The Muslims greatly suffer because of
the snow, cold and rain but they are patient for the sake of Allah,
their Rabb.

A day prior to me writing this letter, their patriarch whom they
greatly honour said that they find in their scriptures that none
shall conquer the city except for a Sahdbi of our Prophet 3

387

Futuhushdm

called 'Umar whose full description they have in their
scriptures. They have requested the cessation of bloodshed and
that you personally come to us. We hope that Allah will conquer
this city through you.

He folded and sealed the letter and said, "0 Muslims, who will deliver this letter? His
reward is from Allah."

Maysarah bin Masruq hastily accepted and said, "I am the messenger. If Allah Most
High wills I will return with 'Umar bin al-Khattab &."

Abu 'Ubaydah ^> : Then take the letter.

7) 'All's <&> recommendation

Maysarah took the letter, mounted his high-humped she-camel and continuously
travelled until he reached al-Madinah at night.

Maysarah narrates:

By Allah! I did not stop by anyone. I went straight to the masjid where I beseated and
tied my she-camel. I entered the masjid and made salam at the graves of Rasulullah
® and Abu Bakr 4&> and then slept in the masjid for I had not slept many nights.
Nothing woke me except the athan of 'Umar 4&> who called it out in the dark.
Thereafter he entered the masjid calling out, "Salah! May Allah have mercy on you."

I stood up, performed wudu and prayed Salatul Fajr behind him.

When he left the mihrab (prayer-niche in front of the masjid), I stood and made salam
to him. He shook my hands and was delighted to see me.

'Umar 4& : Maysarah, by the Rabb of the Ka'bah it is you! What news do you have?

Maysarah : Goodness and safety, O Commander of the Believers.

I then gave him the letter. He read it out to the Muslims who rejoiced.

'Umar 4» : What is your view as to what Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe has written to me? May
Allah have mercy upon you.

'Uthmdn bin 'Affan 4» : O Commander of the Believers, Allah has disgraced Rome
and expelled her from Syria. He has granted the Muslims victory over her. The

388

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Muslims have now besieged Baytul Muqaddas and made life difficult for the
inhabitants. Each day their disgrace, weakness and fear increases. If you stay where
you are they will see that you regard them lightly and not worth the effort to fight
personally. In a short while they will themselves come in humiliation and render
Jizyah.

'Umar 4& : May Allah reward you well! Does anyone hold a different view?

Alt 4» : Yes, my view is different. I will explain if I may. May Allah have mercy
upon you.

'Umar 4i> : What is it, O Abu al-Hasan?

Alt 4& '■ They have asked for you and that very request is in itself a victory for the
Muslims. The Muslims are suffering much because of the cold, the fighting and
lengthy camping. I feel that if you go to them Allah may conquer the city at your
hands. Furthermore you will be well rewarded for your journey - in fact for the
hunger and thirst that you experience and for every crossing of valleys and climbing
of mountains until you reach them. Thereafter there will be peace, security and
victory for the Muslims. I fear that if they lose hope in your coming and in peace they
will fortify themselves and receive help from their despot. Once reinforcements enter
the city they will not change their minds. The correct thing for you to do, if Allah
wills, is to go.

'Umar <& (happy): 'Uthman has properly examined the tricks of the enemy while
'All has looked towards the welfare of the Muslims - may Allah reward them both. I
have decided upon 'All's view whom I know to be a good and blessed advisor.

He then ordered the people to prepare for the journey. Upon completing this they
waited outside al-Madinah as ordered. Umar 4& then went to the Masjid where he
performed four rak'at. Thereafter he made salam to Rasulullah ft and Abu Bakr 4i>
and left al-Madinah having appointed 'Ali <& as his deputy. The people came to
escort him and bid him farewell.

8) 'Umar <&> sets out for Baytul Muqaddas

'Umar 4* rode his red camel with a sack of dates and a sack of Sawiq cereal. He had
in front of him a leather bag of water and behind him a bowl. He was accompanied
by Sahabah 4> who had participated in al-Yarmvik and had returned to al-Madinah.
These included az-Zubayr 4& and 'Ubadah bin as -Samit *&.

389

Futiihushdm

Wherever he camped for the night he would not leave until he had prayed Salatul Fajr
at that site. He would then turn to the Muslims and say, "All praise be to Allah who
honoured us with Islam and ennobled us with faith; Who singled us out for the
blessings of His Prophet, salutations and peace be upon him; Who guided us after
misguidance; Who after disunity united us upon the Word of piety and united our
hearts; Who helped us against our enemy; Who entrenched us in His cities; Who
made us brethren who love each other. So, O slaves of Allah, praise Him for these
all-encompassing and clear bounties and favours, for Allah increases for the
enthusiastic who seek more from what is with Him. He completes His favours to the
grateful ones."

He would then take his bowl, fill it with cereal, sprinkle it with dates and say, after
presenting it to the Muslims, "Eat and enjoy."

He would then eat with the Muslims. They would then depart and this remained the
routine throughout the journey.

'Amr bin Malik al-'Absi narrates:

I accompanied 'Umar 4& to Syria. We passed by a spring, That al-Manar, which
belonged to the Jutham. A caravan of theirs was also camped there. 'Umar *&
decided to camp there. At that moment, while he was surrounded by the Sahabah A>
of Rasulullah SI a group of the Jutham came and said, "O Commander of the
Believers, we have amongst us a man who is married to two sisters."

'Umar 4* became enraged and said, "Bring him to me." When he was brought 'Umar
4i> asked, "Who are these two women?"

Juthami : My two wives.

'Umar <&> : Are they related to each other?

Juthami : Yes, they are sisters.

'Umar 4& : What is your religion? Are you not a Muslim?

Juthami : I certainly am.

'Umar 4&> : Do you not know that that is forbidden upon you?

Allah says in His Book:

390

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

" \ " '- I ' vtl "' vTf -"-' " \ f ' ' ' f'

(7? is forbidden unto you) to marry two sisters at the same time
except for that which has passed. [4:23]

Juthdmi : I did not know that they are forbidden upon me.

'Umar 4i> (enraged): By Allah, you lie! It is forbidden upon you. If you do not leave
one of them I will cut your neck.

Juthdmi : You rule against me?

'Umar^ : Yes. By Allah besides Whom there is no other deity.
Juthdmi : This religion has brought us no good. I had no need to enter it.

'Umar ■#>: Come closer....

As he came, 'Umar £&> whipped him twice on the head and said, "You take Islam to
be bad luck, you enemy of Allah and enemy of your own self. This is the Din which
Allah is pleased with for His angels, His Messenger and the best of His creation.
Leave one of them or I will whip you for innovating.

Juthdmi : How can I when I love them both? Very well, I will draw lots. Whichever
one's name comes up is for me and I am for her even though I love them both.

So 'Umar 4fe ordered him to do that. He drew a name and divorced the other.
'Umar 4s then went to him and said, "Listen, O man, listen carefully and remember
what I say. Whoever enters our Din and then apostates will be killed by us. Beware
of leaving Islam. Beware that I should hear that you have sexually approached the
sister whom you have divorced, for then I will stone you to death."

'Umar 4&> continued his journey until he reached a district of Banu Murrah. There he
saw some people who were made to stand in the sun as punishment.

'Umar ^ : Why are these people being punished like this?

Muslims : They have outstanding land-tax.

'Umar *& : What excuse do they offer?

Muslims : They say, "We do not find enough to pay."

391

Futuhushdm

'Umar 4^> : Leave them and do not burden them with what they are unable to bear. I
have heard Rasulullah S say, "Do not punish people wrongfully in the world lest
Allah punishes you on the Day of Judgement."

He then released them.

9) Meeting Abu 'Ubaydah &

When he reached Wadi al-Qura, the people informed him that there lived at the
spring an old man who had a friend whom he dearly loved. His friend had said to
him, "Let me share your wife in exchange for herding your camels. I will get her for
a day and night and you will get her for a day and night."

The old man replied, "We are in agreement" and was pleased with the arrangement.

'Umar 4fc summoned them and they were brought to him.

'Umar 4* •" Woe unto you two. What is your religion?

The two friends : Islam.

'Umar 4& : Then what is this that I have heard of you?

The two : What is it?

He then told them what the bedouins had told him.

Old man : O Commander of the Believers, it is correct.

'Umar 4& : Did you two not know that that is forbidden in Islam?

The two : By Allah! No, we did not know.

'Umar4» : O old man, what made you do such an abomination?

Old man : I am an aged man and have no-one else to depend on. So I said to him,
"Will you help me with herding and watering my animals in exchange for a share of
my wife?" Only now do I know that it is forbidden and will not do it.

'Umar 4*> : Take your wife by the hand. Not even I have a right to her. O young man,
beware of coming near her. If I hear that you do I will strike off your neck.

He then continued until he reached the Syrian border.

392

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Aslam bin Barqan, the freed slave of 'Umar <$> narrates:

When he reached Syria we saw a group of horsemen. 'Umar 4&> said to az-Zubayr 4fr,
"Hurry and investigate them."

Az-Zubayr <&> hastened towards them and found them to be Yamanis. Abu 'Ubaydah
4& had sent them to get news on 'Umar 4i>.

Az-Zubayr 4t> narrates:

They made salam to me and said, "O young man, from where do you come?"

Az-Zubayr <^> : From the city of Rasulullah $.

Yamanis : In what state did you leave the people?

Az-Zubayr 4&> : Good.

Yamanis : What is 'Umar 4^> doing? Is he coming to us or not?

Az-Zubayr ^ : Who are you?

Yamanis: We are 'Arabs of Yaman. Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe sent us to get news on
'Umar^i.

I returned and reported to 'Umar & who said, "You were correct in not replying."

Another group then came and asked about 'Umar & who said, "Here, I am 'Umar.
What do you want?"

They replied, "O Commander of the Believers, eyes flow with tears and necks stretch
in anticipation of your coming. Perhaps Allah will grant you victory over Baytul
Muqaddas."

They returned to the Muslim camp and announced, "O Muslims, rejoice at 'Umar 's
4& coming."

The Muslims were excited and all wanted to mount their horses to welcome him, but
Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> called out, "I command you to keep to your posts."

He then left with a group of Muhajirin 4*> and Ansar &■ Umar 4fc saw that he was
fully armed with a bow strung around his shoulders and mounted on a she-camel
covered with a cloak-like wrap with a halter of knitted hair. They both seated their
camels, dismounted and met each other on foot.

393

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah ^ stretched his hand out. 'Umar 4& shook it. They then hugged each
other and made salam. The others then made salam to 'Umar *$>. They remounted and
led the way, speaking to each other all the way back to Baytul Muqaddas (Probably
al-Jdbiyah is meant here - translator's note). 'Umar <&> then led the Muslims in
Salatul Fajr after which he delivered an excellent sermon. In it he said, "Praise be to
Allah, the Most Praiseworthy, the Most Magnificent, the Strongest, the Most
Powerful, the One who always does as He pleases. Allah Most High has honoured us
with Islam and guided us through Muhammad upon whom be the choicest salutations
and peace. He freed us from misguidance. He united us after we were divided. He
united our hearts after they were filled with mutual hatred. So praise Him upon these
favours and you will be entitled to more because Allah Himself says :

m s ' i * •& ** ' -^ •* t*y * fc * * ' ' '

-LjjXcJ ^.1 OP OJ fij A^r => jjj ^So OjJ V J^-^sa.C'u <jJ

If you are grateful I will definitely grant you more. If you are
ungrateful then know that My punishment is severe. [14:7]

He whom Allah guides is the real guided one while you will

never find any guiding friend for he whom He allows to go

astray. [18:17]

At that point a priest who was present stood up and exclaimed, "God will never let
anyone go astray!"

When he repeated his words 'Umar <ia said, "If he repeats what he said then strike
off his neck."

He then continued the sermon, "I strongly advise you to fear Allah Who alone will
remain while everything besides Him will perish; Whose friends can only benefit
through obeying Him; Whose enemies can only be destroyed through defying him. O
people, pay your Zakdh with a clean heart desiring no reward or thanks for it from
the creation. Understand what you are encouraged towards for indeed the intelligent
man is most protective of his Din. Fortunate is he who takes lessons from others.
Behold! The most evil action is innovations in Islam. Hold firmly onto the Sunnah of

394

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

your Prophet &. Moderation in following the Sunnah is better than great effort in
following innovations. Keep firmly to the Quran which contains all kinds of cure and
rewards. "

"O people, Rasululldh H stood amongst us just as I am standing amongst you and
said, 'Follow my Sahdbah, then those who follow them, then those who follow the
followers. Thereafter lies will prevail until that person whose testimony is not
accepted will testify and he whose oath is not accepted will take oath.

"So whoever desires to reside in the centre ofJannah should keep to the community
of Muslims and seek protection against the Devil. Nobody should be in privacy with
a strange women for the Devil makes the third. A believer is he who will be pleased
with her piety and displeased with her evil (not appearance). Guard your Saldh!
Guard your Saldh! "

10) Meeting Bilal £>

After the sermon he sat down while Abu 'Ubaydah <& reported what had transpired
with the Romans. 'Umar <&> was astonished, sometimes he wept and sometimes he
remained still. They continued like this until the time of Salatuzh-Zhur. Abu
'Ubaydah 4*> then said, "O Commander of the Believers, I will ask Bilal to proclaim
the athan."

Bilal 4*> had settled down in that region. Abu 'Ubaydah 4& brought him before 'Umar
4*> to whom he rendered salam and respects. The Muslims asked 'Umar 4» to ask
Bilal to give the athan, so he said, "O Bilal, the Sahabah of Rasulullah S ask you to
proclaim the athan and remind them of the times of their Prophet."

"Yes," replied Bilal <&>.

When he declared, "Allahu Akbar!" they got goose-pimples and their bodies
quivered. When he said, "I testify that there is no deity except Allah. I testify that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah!" they wept so much that their hearts broke
with the mention of Allah and His Rasul H.

After completing Salah he sat down before 'Umar 4«.

Bilal 4e : O Commander of the Believers, the governors and armies of Syria eat bird-
flesh and bread of sifted flour and other such foods which the poor Muslims never
see or touch. Whereas everybody will perish, his wealth will be dust and so our

395

Futuhushdm

destination is dust. (The eating of such luxuries was contrary to his ascetic nature -
translator 's note).

Yazid bin AM Sufydn 4a : Prices are low in these lands. We eat all those things Bilal
mentions for the same amount of money we would spend in al-Hijaz in a given
period.

'Umar <&.: Then there is no harm. Eat as much as much you like. However, I will not
leave here until you compile a register of all the poor Muslims who live in these
towns and cities so that I can stipulate for each household sufficient wheat, barley,
honey, olive-oil and other necessities. This is to come from the governors and is
separate from what comes from my side from the state-treasury. If they fail to do this,
I will dismiss them.

'Umar 4& then intended mounting his camel. He was dressed in woollen rags patched
in twenty-four places, some of the patches being of leather. (In that era cloth was
expensive and leather more freely available - translator s note). The Muslims
therefore said, "O Commander of the Believers, why do you not mount a better camel
and wear some better white clothes?"

'Umar 4fe did this.

Az-Zubayr 4t> narrates:

I estimate that the robes were worth fifteen dirham and were of Egyptian origin. Abu
'Ubaydah 4&> gave him the linen cloth which was neither new nor worn-out and he
draped it over his shoulder. Abu 'Ubaydah ^ presented him with a grey Turkish
horse captured from the horses of the Romans. When 'Umar <&. mounted it, it
started galloping swiftly He quickly dismounted and said, "Forgive my mistake and
Allah will forgive your mistake on the Day of Judgement. Your ruler was almost
destroyed by the vanity and pride which had entered his heart. I have heard
Rasulullah $| saying, 'He who has an atom of pride in him will not enter Jannah.'
Your white robe and swift horse were close to ruining me."

He then stripped off the white linen and put on his patched rags.

11) The world tries to seduce 'Umar &

Al-Waqidi narrates:

'Ubadah bin 'Awf ad-Dinuri was a great scholar,who would speak in rhymed
sentences. He was reading.the stories of the conquests of Syria and Baytul Muqaddas

396

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

to us. When he mentioned 'Umar's <&> clothes he said, "My heart contains something
which people would want to overlook."

I said, "Tell me and do not fear the truth for fearing the Truth leads to Hell. Truth is
a trust and lying is a betrayal."

He said, "When 'Umar 4&> put on his rags a second time he distinguished himself in
his garb of poverty. The whole universe was astonished at his ascetism and patience
at that time when the world had presented to him desirable adornments i.e. the horse
and linen."

"The world then appeared in a form of a woman. She was completely decorated from
head to toe to seduce him. She was hoping to negate all his struggles against his
carnal self. She became visible to him, coming before him with her beautiful
clothing and false pomp seeking to trade with him. That is, she threatened that if
'Umar 4& would not love her then he would not be able to attain her, nor would the
world serve him anymore."

'"Umar 4e however maintained the people's obedience to him by means of his
blameless character. She was desirous of trapping him and in her failure she
resembled the description (of the woman who tried to seduce Yusuf SSS):

She is madly in love with him. Verily we see her to be clearly

astray.

"She then said, 'O 'Umar ■#>, you have been given rule over my Earth, therefore you
will have to take me as your share as well. No government can last without fine
clothing, delicious food and harshness towards the citizenry.'"

" 'Umar <& replied, 'Go away! I am not one of your men, nor am I of those who will
fall in your traps and charms. Do you not know that I have dedicated myself to
oppose you? Your appearing like this before me does not concern me. What does
concern me is my mission to uphold the work of the master of all the nations, until I
conquer the lands of Rome and Persia.'"

"The effects of his struggle against his carnal self then became visible on her face.
This struggle was in line with what Allah commands:

397

Futuhushdm

And struggle in the Path of Allah as it should be struggled.

[22:78]

I liked these words and connected what he said to the Hadith of Rasulullah S:

"There is some magic in speech."

12) 'Umar <&> arrives at Baytul M uqaddas

'Umar &> travelled, intending to traverse the mountain-pass through until Baytul
Muqaddas. A group of Muslims came to meet him. They were wearing brocade they
had acquired from al-Yarmuk. He ordered dust to be flung in their faces and tore their
brocade.

When he reached Baytul Muqaddas he called out, "Allahu Akbar! O Allah, grant us
an easy victory and send us Your helping power."

The tribes and leaders came to meet him. He continued until he reached Abu
'Ubaydah /& where a tent of camel-hair was pitched for him. He sat down in it on
the bare ground and then arose to pray four rak'at.

The Muslims proclaimed, "La ilaha illallah wallahu Akbar." The people of Baytul
Muqaddas heard and the patriarch said to them, "Woe unto you! Why are the 'Arabs
making a noise for no reason? Go and investigate."

One of them who knew 'Arabic called out to the Muslims, "O 'Arabs, what is
happening?"

A Muslim replied, "The Commander of the Believers, 'Umar bin al-Khattab has
come to us from al-Madinah. We are shouting for joy."

The man went to inform the patriarch who bowed his head in silence.

After having led the Muslims in Sialatul Fajr the next day, 'Umar <#» said to
Abu'Ubaydah 4&, "O 'Amir, go and inform the people that I have arrived."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> went and called out, "O people of this city, the Commander of the
Believers has arrived. What will you do about what you had previously said?"

The patriarch was informed. He came, wearing monk's garb surrounded by the
monks, priests and bishops. He carried in front of him the special cross which they
only took out on festivals. With him was Batlic, the governor, who said, "O Father,

398

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

you should be able to recognise him with certainty. Failing that we will not open the
gates and will fight until either we or they are destroyed."

Patriarch : I will do that.

The two climbed the wall. The governor stood at the patriarch's side with the cross
before them. They called out to Abu 'Ubaydah <&, "What do you want, old man?"

Abu'Ubaydah 4fc.: This is 'Umar 4&>, Commander of the Believers. There is no
commander above him. Now come to receive his amnesty, to surrender and to pay
the Jizyah.

Patriarch : O man, if he is really the highest ranking then let him approach us so that
we can recognise his characteristics. Let him come out alone from amongst you and
stand directly in line with us so that we can see him. If he is the man described in the
scriptures then we will come down and seek amnesty and pay the Jizyah. If it is not
him then you will get nothing but battle from us.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4k returned to inform 'Umar 4&>. When he wanted to go his men said,
"O Commander of the Believers, are you going to them without any weapons, all
alone and only wearing these rags? We fear treachery against you."

'Umar <& recited:

Say: Nothing will afflict us except that which Allah has

decreed for us. He is our Protector. Upon Allah should the

Believers rely. [9:51]

He then called for his camel which he mounted. He wore nothing besides his rags and
a cotton cap on his head. Only Abu 'Ubaydah 4$> accompanied him and rode ahead
of him. When they came to the patriarch and governor and stopped in line with them,
Abu 'Ubaydah <$> called out, "This is the Commander of the Believers."

The patriarch rubbed his eyes, looked and shouted out loud, "This is he who is
described in our books, the man who will conquer our city without doubt."

399

Futuhusham

He then called out to his people, "Woe unto you! Go down for amnesty and
protection. By God! This is the mentioned companion of Muhammad bin 'Abdillah."

13) Conquest of Baytul Muqaddas

When the Romans heard the patriarch they rushed down, having been severely taxed
by the siege, and opened the gates. They went to 'Umar 4*> seeking his guarantees
and offering the Jizyah. This only humbled 'Umar 4^ and he prostrated his head on
the camel's hump out of gratitude to Allah. He dismounted and said, "Return to your
city with the guarantees you seek since you have agreed to pay Jizyah."

They returned without locking the gates, while he too returned to the Muslim camp
to spend the night.

In the morning 'Umar 4fc finally entered the city. This was on a Monday and he
remained there until Friday. Then he marked off a plane in the East which became
Masjid 'Umar <^&. Here he led his men in Salatul Jum'ah. While the Muslims were
thus engaged the Romans thought of acting treacherously. They said to Abu al-Ja'id
who had helped the Muslims at al-Yarmuk and had now settled here with all his
wealth and family, "What do you think of betraying them while they are engaged in
their prayers without weapons or protection against being killed?"

Abu al-Ja 'id : O people, do not do this. Do not betray them. If you are going to do
this I will inform them.

Romans : Then what should we do?

Abu al-Ja'id : Display all your worldly goods to them. Whoever sees them will not
be able to control himself. If they then seek to seize it wrongfully then you will have
an excuse to do as you please.

The Romans therefore brought out all their finery and lined it up in the streets
through which the Muslims used to pass. The Muslims were amazed but none of
them came near nor touched the goods of the Romans. All they said was, "Praise be
to Allah Who has granted us control over the houses of people such as these. If He
had to regard the world equal to the wing of a mosquito He would not have granted
a Disbeliever a drop of water to drink."

'Awf bin Salim narrates:

By Allah! Not a single Muslim took anything from them nor touched their goods.

400

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Abu al-Ja'Td then said to them, "These are the people whom God has described in the
Torah and Gospel. They will remain on the Truth and none will be able to approach
them for as long as they remain like this."

14) The Rabbi's prophecy

'Umar 4fe remained in Baytul Muqaddas for ten days.

Shahr bin flawshab narrates from Ka'b al-Ahbar:

After 'Umar <&> made peace with the people of Baytul Muqaddas, he entered the city
and remained there for ten days. I came to him from a Palestinian village where I was
staying, to make salam to him and embrace Islam at his hands. My father was the
greatest scholar of what had been revealed to Musa bin Tmran 8S3. He loved me
dearly. He did not hide anything from me, but taught me whatever the people knew.
At the time of his death he called me and said, "O my son, you know that I never hid
any of my knowledge from you because I feared that you may end up following some
liar who might appear. I have hidden two pages in that hole in the wall which you
can see. Do not take them or read them until you hear of the coming of the Prophet
of the final era whose name is Muhammad. If Allah wills good unto you, you will
follow him."

He then died after giving me this testament and I buried him. After the mourning
period nothing was more beloved unto me than having to look at those two pages. I
opened them and they read:

There is no deity besides Allah. Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah, he is the seal of all Prophets, there is no prophet to come
after him. His birthplace is Makkah. His migration is to Taybah
(al-Madinah) . He is neither rude, nor hard-hearted, nor
boisterous. His Ummah are those who praise Allah in every
condition. Their tongues are ever moist with, "La ildha
Wallah " and "Alldhu Akbar. " They will be victorious over all
their enemies. They wash their faces and cover the middle of
their bodies. Their scripture is stored in their hearts. They are
merciful to each other just as prophets are merciful towards

401

Futuhusham

their followers. They will be the first nation to enter Paradise on
the Day of Judgement.

When I read all that I said to myself, "My father never taught me anything greater
than this."

I remained in this state after the death of my father for as long as Allah willed until
I heard of a prophet proclaiming himself in Makkah and he repeated his claims. I
said, "By Allah! It must be him."

I continued to investigate him until it was said to me that he had departed for Yathrib
(al-Madinah). I continued to follow his progress until he waged war on his enemies
and conquered them. By the time I made preparations to travel to him I heard that he
had died and that revelation had come to an end.

I said to myself, "Perhaps he was not the one I was waiting for."

I then dreamt that the gates of the sky were opened and that droves of angels were
descending saying, "The soul of Rasulullah S has been taken. Revelation has been
cut off from the people of Earth."

I returned to my people's abode where news reached us that his Ummah was now
headed by a man called Abu Bakr. I said, "I shall go to him," but I hardly had a
chance when his armies invaded Syria and he died. It was said that his successor is
called 'Umar. I said, "I will not enter this religion until I have investigated it."

While I was waiting like that, 'Umar <& had reached Baytul Muqaddas and had made
peace with her people. I noticed how he fulfilled his word and how the enemies of
the Muslims were defeated and so said to myself, "This is certainly the Ummah of
the Unlettered Prophet."

My heart told me to enter this religion.

By Allah! One night as I was standing on my roof a Muslim passed by reciting:

ty> J>jl* UJ lijL^ji LUjj Lr. \y^»\"f- i_-riS0! \yj\ ,y,)i\ L^Lb

402

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

O those who have been given the previous scriptures! Believe
in what We have now revealed which is a confirmation of that

which you already have before We flatten your faces to

resemble the backs of Your heads or curse them as We cursed

those who violated the Sabbath. Verily Allah 's order is always

fulfilled. [4:47]

By Allah! When I heard this I feared that I would wake up in the morning with my
face transformed and I would have loved nothing better than if morning never came."

15) Ka'b the rabbi embraces Islam

In the morning I left my house and made enquiries as to where 'Umar ^ was. When
it was said to me that he was in Baytul Muqaddas, I went and found that he had
finished leading his men in Salatul Fajr at the Rock. I went up to him and made salam
to him which he replied to.

'Umar «&> : Who are you?

Ka'b : lam Ka'b al-Ahbar (Ka'b of the rabbis). I have come to embrace Islam
because I have found the description of Muhammad % and his Ummah in the
revealed scriptures. Allah, Most Honourable and Majestic, had revealed to Musa SSJsS,
"I have not created any creation more noble to Me than the Ummah of Muhammad.
Were it not for him I would not have created Paradise, Hell, Heaven or Earth. His
Ummah is the best of all ummahs and his Din is the best din. I am sending him in the
final era. His Ummah will be shown mercy. He is the Prophet of mercy. He is the
Unlettered Prophet from the lowlands of West Arabia. He is of the Quraysh tribe and
is merciful unto the Believers but hard against the Disbelievers. His private life is just
like his public life. His word does not oppose his deed. He treats the near one and far
one equally. His Sahabah are merciful unto each other and keep ties to each other."

'Umar 4*> '■ O Ka'b, do you speak the truth?

Ka 'b : By Allah! Yes. Allah hears what I say and knows what the hearts conceal.

'Umar 4s> : All praise belongs to Allah who honoured, ennobled, elevated and
showed mercy unto us through His mercy Muhammad $k O Ka'b, why do you not
enter Islam right now?

403

Futuhushdm

Ka'b : O Commander of the Believers, first tell me, is there any mention of Ibrahim
$s@ in your revealed Book with regard to your religion?

'Umar *&> : Yes.

And Ibrahim left testament of it to his sons and Ya'qub also

(did this). He (Ibrahim) said, "O my sons verily Allah has

chosen for you this religion so do not die except as those who

submit. " Or were you witness when death approached Ya 'qub

and he said, to his sons, "What will you worship after me? "

They replied, "We will worship your God and the God of your

fathers, Ibrahim, Ismd 'il and Ishdq. He is one god and to Him

do we submit. " [2:133]

LJLU. Li~^>- ^j_J$ ' C^r^J ^-s^J^ Vj ^£?Jt- (*-** l/5j 0^ ^

Ibrahim was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but was one who

separated himself from false gods and submitted to Allah as a

Muslim. [3:67]

404

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

f -K. ^ * .' «r

Should they seek a religion other than Allah s whereas all who
are in the Heavens and Earth submit to Him? [3:83]

He who seeks a Din other than Islam will never have it
accepted from him. [3:85]

S f ' ' s

-' f-' s-i -

Say: My Rabb has guided me to the Straight Path - the upright
religion, the way of Ibrahim. [6:161]

^4//a/j /zas wo? caused you difficulty in religion. It is the way of

your forefather Ibrahim. He already called you Muslims from

before. [22:78]

Ka'b.O Commander of the Believers, I testify that there is no deity except Allah and
I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

'Umar 4a (delighted) : Will you come with me to al-Madinah to benefit by visiting
Rasulullah's S grave?

405

Futuhushdm

Ka 'b : Yes, O Commander of the Believers, I will do that.

'Umar 4s> then left after writing out the treaty allowing the people of Baytul
Muqaddas to remain in their lands upon payment of Jizyah. He went with his
companions up to al-Jabiyah. There he compiled his register and took the state's one-
fifth share of the booty which Allah had granted to the Muslims.

He then divided Syria into two zones: Abu 'Ubaydah & was given direct
responsibility from Hawran to Aleppo and surrounds and was ordered to conquer
Aleppo. Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4fr, under Abu 'Ubaydah 's 4& supervision, was given
Palestine, Baytul Muqaddas and the coast and was ordered to conquer Caesarea.

(See Appendix E - translator).

Most of the army was to remain with Abu 'Ubaydah 4& and Khalid & was to stay
with him. He sent 'Amr bin al-'As <& to Egypt and appointed 'Amr bin Sa'id al-
Ansari as judge of Hims.

'Umar <& then left with Ka'b for al-Madinah. The people of al-Madinah feared that
he would remain in Syria once he saw all her fruits and cheap prices as well as it
being sacred land and home to the prophets and the place of gathering for the Day of
Judgement. They would come out daily hoping to see him coming. So when he
finally returned, the city was filled with excitement and the Sahabah of Rasulullah H
rejoiced at seeing him. They made salam to him, welcomed him and congratulated
him for what Allah had conquered at his hands. He went straight to the Masjid, made
salam to Rasulullah ® and Abu Bakr <& and prayed two Raka'at. He called Ka'b and
said, "Relate to the people what you saw on the two sheets."

Ka'b's narration only increased their faith.

16) The author repeats his reason for compiling the book

I (al-Waqidi) narrate from Ahmad bin al-Husayn bin al-' Abbas who is known
as Abu Sufyan the grammarian, who narrates from Abu Ja'far bin Ahmad bin
'Ubayd an-Nasikh who narrates from 'Abdullah bin Aslam az-Zuhri and
'Abdullah bin Yahya az-Zarqi who narrates from all those whose names have
been mentioned at the beginning of this book.

406

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

These people lived quite recently and were contemporaries of each other. Allah is the
one who saves us from additions and subtractions. Truth is a trust and falsehood is a
betrayal. I swear by Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and Who is the
Knower of the invisible and visible! I have evaluated and narrated these reports on
the conquests on a basis of utter honesty so that I can establish the great value of the
Sahabah of Rasulullah II and refute the Shi'is who abandon both the Sunnah and
what is obligatory. Allah Most High has willed that were it not for them then those
lands would not have been in the possession of the Muslims and knowledge of this
Din would not have spread. Allah be praised at their deeds! They waged Jihad as it
should be waged, no doubt. The King who has all power has said about them:

Amongst them are those who have fulfilled their vows and
amongst them are those who await. [33:23]

17) Yazid 4fc reaches Caesarea

'Umar j& had appointed Abu 'Ubaydah <&> over Syria and ordered him to conquer
Aleppo, Antioch, Mafraq and their forts. He sent 'Amr bin al-As <&> to Egypt and
Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4» to the Syrian coast. Yazid 4&> thus reached Caesarea which
was governed by Constantine, Heraclius's son. He had with him a garrison of 80,000
Romans, Christian 'Arabs and North Europeans. When he saw Yazid 4& coming he
requested reinforcements from his father, who sent the governor of Mar' ash with
20,000 North European warriors, and also sent mounts laden with provisions and
fodder.

Yazid <&> felt that he would not be able to overcome them so he wrote to 'Umar 4s>:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
From : Yazid bin Abi Sufyan, the governor of SW Syria
To : 'Umar bin al-Khattdb

I have reached Caesarea which I have found to be heavily
garrisoned. There is no way of conquering her. Constantine
requested reinforcements from his father who sent him a further
20,000 troops under the governor of Mar 'ash. He receives
mounts loaded with provisions and fodder daily.

Was-saldm.

407

Futuhusham

He sent the letter with 'Amr bin Salim bin Humayd an-Nakha'i who arrived in al-
Madinah and handed the letter to 'Umar &.

'Umar 4& : From whom is this letter?

'Amr : From your governor, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan 4&>.

'Umar 4& read the letter and began worrying about Yazid 4&>. When 'All came and
read the letter he said, "Do not worry about the Muslims. Allah will conquer
Caesarea through you. Reinforce Yazid and write to him."

'Umar <& therefore wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah <i& who had 20,000 troops with him to
reinforce Yazid who only had 10,000 troops with him. When Abu 'Ubaydah ^
received the letter he sent 3 ,000 cavalry to Yazid under Harb bin 'Adi.

18) The brothers of Aleppo

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> now had 17,000 mostly Yamani troops left with him. He had
agreed to a treaty with Qinsarin and al-'Awasim upon receiving payment of 15,000
Mithqal (65.6 kg) of gold, 15,000 of silver, 1,000 robes of brocade and 500 Wasaq
(96.4 1) of figs and olive-oil. Upon the expiry of the term of grace they brought what
they had promised from their city. He wrote out the document and entered the city
with Khalid^fe and all the Muslim Chiefs and marked off a Masjid.

When the people of Aleppo heard of the 'Arabs entering Qinsarin and of the further
advance they became highly agitated. Aleppo belonged to two brothers who lived in
a fort outside the city-limits. The two, Yuhanna and Yuqanna, had the same father
and mother. Their father was the local king whose territories, farms and estates had
stretched all the way from the mountains to the Euphrates River. He had ruled Aleppo
unchallenged for years. Heraclius feared him and was forced to tolerate him in order
to maintain the pretence of Imperial unity. When he seceded from the Roman Empire
no troops were sent against him due to his great evil, conniving schemes and the
strength of his dynasty. When he had passed-through the rural districts of Antioch he
decided to base himself in the fort of Aleppo. He strengthened it, added to its
buildings and established himself in the land.

Upon his death the elder brother, Yuqanna, succeeded him. He was a brave, war-
mongering person who gathered wealth and initiated wars. His evil could not be
checked. His younger religious brother, Yuhanna, had become a monk and had left
politics to him. He was the most learned scholar of his time. When they heard of Abu
'Ubaydah's <& advance he asked Yuqanna, "What have you decided upon?"

408

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Yuqanna : I will fight the 'Arabs. I will not let them come near our lands. They will
see that I am not like the governors of Syria whom they had encountered until now.

Yuhanna had studied the Gospel and the Psalms. His sole occupation was the
building of churches and monasteries and clothing and caring for the bishops, priests
and monks. When he heard that al-'Awasim had been conquered by the sword and
Qinsarin by treaty and that the 'Arab cavalry was advancing towards the Euphrates
and al-Baqa', he went to his elder brother, Yuqanna, and said, "O brother, I wish to
privately consult with you tonight to reveal my views and secrets and to learn yours."

Yuqanna agreed and so they met that night in a building within the fort which their
father used.

Yuqanna : O brother, do you not see what is befalling us from these 'Arabs whose
stomachs are empty and bodies naked? Do you not see that the people of Syria are
being killed and their wealth plundered and that these people do not invade any city
except that they always conquer it and rule over its people? How should we deal with
them? It is as if they are already here.

Yuhanna : O brother, if you really seek my opinion then I will sincerely advise you
and will not deceive you if you accept my advice. I may be younger than you but I
have deeper insight then you. I swear by Christ and the Communion! If you accept
what I say your status will remain high and your life and wealth will be saved.

Yuqanna : O my brother, I know you only to be a well-wisher. What is your
opinion?

Yuhanna : Send an envoy to the 'Arabs. Give them whatever they want. Surrender
and fix an annual tribute which you will pay for as long as they have the upper hand.

Yuqanna (angry) : May Christ disfigure you! What useless speech. Your mother only
gave birth to you as a monk and priest whom I cannot follow. Monks do not have
hearts because they only eat lentils, olive-oil and herbs and do not eat meat and know
no luxury. They have no insight into war and know nothing about encountering men.
As for me, I am a king and the son of a king. All they will get from me is war. The
kings of the world will not see me weak. Woe unto you! How can we surrender our
city to the 'Arabs without even putting up a fight?

Yuhanna (smiling) : O my brother, by Christ! I see your end coming for you are a
tyrant who enjoys bloodshed. I do not think that you will ever be able to gather as
many troops as Heraclius did at al-Yarmuk or at Ajnadayn. These are such people
whom God helps against us. Fear God and do not run to your own death.

409

Futuhushdm

Yuqannd : You praise these 'Arabs so much. I am not like those whom they had
previously encountered and whom you have mentioned. Do not dare compare me to
them! I know that all the cities about whom you speak surrendered, whether forcibly
or peacefully, but in either case they had no excuse and did not strive to their full
extent. For some time now I have been gathering much wealth to save myself from
all harm and will gather a great force to fight the 'Arabs. If the Cross grants me
victory over them and Christ helps me against them I will chase them all the way
back to al-Hijaz and will become the leading king. When I return to Syria Heraclius
will have no power against me. If the 'Arabs defeat me then I will take refuge in my
great fort. I have prepared provisions and food which will last me for the rest of my
life. I will stay here and rule with honour until the end of my days. I will not stretch
my hand towards the 'Arabs nor will I spend any money wastefully. Do not oppose
me concerning the 'Arabs nor call me to surrender for then I will fight you before I
fight them.

The Devil thus captured his heart and made his view appealing to him. Yuhanna then
said, "It is forbidden for me to speak to you until you do as I say."

He then left angrily.

In the morning, Yuqanna gathered all those Armenians, Christian 'Arabs etc. who
had fled to him and joined his service. He armed whoever wanted weapons and
distributed money amongst them. He began to belittle the 'Arabs, "They are few and
we are many more than them, and they are now divided - some are at Caesarea and
others are going to Egypt."

He resolved to fight Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe before the Muslims could reach him. He
therefore appointed Caracus to defend the city while he set off with 12,000 armoured
men and others who wore no armour. Ahead of him were his flags and crosses
including a jewelled gold cross. He was surrounded by 1,000 youth wearing brocade
embroidered with gold.

19) The ambush

Ibn Tha'labah al-Kindt narrates:

After Abu 'Ubaydah & had conquered Qinsarin and received 'Umar's 4&> letter
instructing him to reinforce Yazid 4&, he stayed at Qinsarin and resolved upon
invading Aleppo. He had sent 3,000 heavily armed horsemen to Yazid 4k and
summoned a great, strong, experienced warrior from Banu Damrah. Once this

410

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

warrior began fighting, he was not scared of the enemy regardless of their number.
Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> placed him in charge of 1 ,000 reconnaisance troops and said to
him, "O Ka'b, do not attack an army which you are powerless against. Your only duty
is to investigate the Christians. I will be right behind you."

Ka'b bin Damrah 4h then left for Aleppo.

Yuqanna sent many spies ahead of him to return and report to him. They reported
that the 'Arab cavalry was arriving to fight him.

Yuqanna : How many are they?

Spies : They are 100 horsemen camped six miles from your city.

He then placed some of his men in ambush while he took the rest with him against
the Muslims.

Yuqanna encountered the Muslims who had halted at a river and were watering their
horses and performing wudu. When they saw the army and the cross in front of
Yuqanna they started shouting at each other and mounted their horses. Ka'b 4&
estimated the enemy to be 5,000. He did not know that Yuqanna had left the rest
behind hiding in ambush.

Ka'b 4i> called out to the Muslims, "O helpers of Allah's Din, I estimate the enemy
to be 5,000. Consider them to be your booty. However, each of you will have to fight
five of them."

"By Allah!" the Muslims responded, "Why not?"

They charged, encouraging each other. When they neared, Yuqanna ordered his men
to attack. The Christians charged and the two forces clashed. Both sides were
prepared to fight to the death. The Muslims were certain of victory and of acquiring
booty when suddenly the enemy came out of hiding and attacked from behind.

Mas'ud bin 'Awn al-'Ajji narrates:

I was one of the scouts sent by Abu 'Ubaydah 4» under Ka'b bin Damrah & and
participated in the battle between the two forces. While we were engaged in combat
they sprang their ambush on us. We had not thought that they would be hiding behind
us when suddenly we heard the pounding of hooves behind us. Initially we had been
certain of victory but were now certain of defeat. We were trapped in the midst of
Disbelievers. The Muslims were divided into three groups: one turned to flee; one
turned to face the newcomers; and one under Ka'b 4& faced Yuqanna and his men.

411

Futuhushdm

Allah be praised for what the Kindah did that day. They fought so fiercely and
gifted their lives to Allah Most High until 100 of them were martyred at a single
place.

(O Most Generous Allah! Accept this sinful Kindijust as You accepted these Kindts
- translator).

The ambushers wreaked great havoc amongst us. Ka'b & became ever more anxious
about the Muslims fighting them. He went around the Muslims calling out, "O help
of Allah, come down through the intercession of Muhammad. O Muslims, the
moment of help arrives. You will be victorious."

The Muslims gathered around him suffering many injuries. 170 seniors were killed,
including 'Abbad bin ' Asim an-Nakha'i, Zufar bin Umm Radi, Hazim bin Shihab al-
Muqri, Sahl bin Ashyam, Rifa'ah bin Muhsan and Ghanim bin Bard % who was
amongst those who had participated in the Expedition of Chains and Tabuk with
Rasulullah S and al-Yamamah with Khalid bin al-Walid <&>.

How we regretted the loss of Suhayl. We counted forty wounds all on his front and
not a single one on his back. Forty of the martyrs were great chiefs, but not a single
Muslim died without first having killed several Christians. When the enemy saw
how, despite being killed, the Muslims remained steadfast they wanted to flee.
Yuqanna held them back, "Woe unto you! The 'Arabs are but like wolves unto you.
If they are attacked they flee and if they are left alone they become greedy."

Ka'b & was greatly grieved at those who had been killed under his flag. He
dismounted, put on armour on top of the armour he already wore and tied a belt
around his waist. He rubbed his face against the nose of his horse, Hital, and kissed
him between the eyes. This stallion had participated in many battles with him,
including ones with Rasulullah H. He said, "O Hital, this is your day. The outcome
will be praiseworthy, so be firm in fighting in obedience to Allah "

He remounted and paused in front of the ranks of the Muslims. Holding the flag in
his hand he looked at the dead and was distressed. He waited for an army to arrive
from Abu 'Ubaydah &> or at least some scouts, but saw no trace of any

20) The delegation from Aleppo

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> had halted his march towards Ka'b * upon receiving a delegation
of Aleppans. When Yuqanna had marched against the Muslims, the elders of the city

412

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

and the North Europeans had gathered and said, "O people, you know that the other
Christians have surrendered to the 'Arabs. Some have even embraced their religion
while others remain Christian under their rule. Those who have fought them have
always lost. We propose that you go to their ruler to surrender our city and give him
whatever he wants. If the Muslims defeat Prince Yuqanna then we will be safe and
have no fear of their violence. If Yuqanna surrenders then we will have overtaken
him. If he is victorious and safely returns then we will not tell him what we did."

They reached a consensus upon that and a delegation of thirty chiefs left taking a
different road to that which Yuqanna had taken. When they reached the Muslim camp
they called out, "Alghawth! Alghawth!" which the 'Arabs understood to be a Greek
request for immunity and thus they had been instructed by the Commander,
"Whoever hears this call should not hasten to kill the caller or else he will be taken
to task by Allah on the Day of Judgement and 'Umar <& will have nothing to do with
the killer."

The 'Arabs now recognised the call and brought the Aleppans before Abu
'Ubaydah 4&.

Khdlid 4& : Perhaps these Aleppans are seeking indemnity and wish to surrender.

Abu 'Ubaydah *&> : May Allah make it so. If they surrender I will accept.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> was unaware of the violent battle and massacre. The Aleppans had
arrived at night and a fire was blazing before him. They saw some Muslims standing
in Salah while others were reciting the Quran, so they said, "This is how they triumph
over us."

The translator overheard them and informed Abu 'Ubaydah <&> who said, "We are a
nation showered with divine grace. We are men who desire nothing but Allah and His
Messenger H. We are not weak in fighting the enemy."

After translating he asked them, "Who are you?"

Aleppans : We are the inhabitants of Aleppo - traders and chiefs, and we have come
to surrender.

Abii 'Ubaydah & : How can we make peace with you when we have heard that your
prince is adamant upon war against us and has strengthened his fort. He has filled it
with food to last for years and has not only formed a new army but has increased it.
So there can be no peace between us.

413

Futuhusham

Aleppans : He went ahead of us to fight you. We have nothing to do with him.

Abu 'Ubaydah <& : When did he leave?

Aleppans : He left at dawn. We left after him taking a different road. We sincerely
hope that he will be destroyed because he is a great tyrant and will never surrender.
He obeys his carnal lusts which can only destroy him.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4<= began to fear for the reconnaisance and exclaimed, "There is no
power to avoid evil and no ability to do good except through Allah, the Most High,
the Most Mighty. By Allah! Ka'b and his men are destroyed. Verily we belong to
Allah and to Him do we return!"

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* bowed his head.

The Aleppans said to one of their elders, "Speak to him about our peace."

When he did this, Abu 'Ubaydah 4* shouted, "There can be no peace with you!"

The elders feared for their lives and said, "The village and country folk have all taken
refuge in our city. After surrendering we can help you to populate these lands and will
even help you with the construction of buildings. We will live under your shadow for
as long as you are just. If you refuse then the people will flee to the ends of the lands,
spreading the news that you do not accept peaceful surrender. Not a single soul will
then remain to populate your territories."

21) Terms of surrender

After the translation, Abu 'Ubaydah 4* merely stared at them. A red-faced man who
was a sage of the Romans began shouting. He came forward and said in fluent
'Arabic, "O commander, listen to these words which God revealed in the scriptures
to the Prophets..."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> '■ We will listen. If it is true, then teach it to us. If it is not, then we
will neither listen nor will we practise it.

Didah the sage : O commander, God has revealed this to His Prophets, "I am the
Merciful Lord. I created mercy and placed it in the hearts of the Believers. I have no
mercy for him who shows no mercy. I do good to him who does good. I exceed the
limits with him who exceeds the limits. I forgive him who forgives. He who seeks
Me will find Me. If someone helps a troubled person, I will grant him safety on the

414

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Day of Judgement, expand his sustenance, bless his age, increase his family and help
him against his enemy. He who thanks his benefactor in reality thanks Me."

So now we have come here, troubled and filled with fear. Forgive our mistakes, grant
safety to our citizens and be good unto us.

Abu 'Ubaydah & wept and recited:

Verliy Allah loves those who do good. [2:195]

He then said, "O Allah, convey salutations to Muhammad and the Muslims. By
Allah! It is with this that He sent our Prophet. He sent him for the entire creation.
Praise be to Allah for guiding us."

He then turned to the Muslims who included the chiefs of the Muhajirin and the
Ansar and said, "Praise be to Allah for guiding us. These traders and villagers are
oppressed people. We should be kind unto them, accept their surrender and gladden
their hearts. Once the city is in our hands the traders can supply us with fodder and
inform us as to enemy actions and be helpful unto us."

Muslims : May Allah keep the commander in a good state. The city is close to the
fort. We have no guarantee that they will not spy out our weaknesses and report all
our conditions to the enemy. It may be that these people intend tricking us. After all,
their prince is out fighting us. How can they really be offering to surrender?"

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : Keep good thoughts about Allah and rely upon Him. Allah will
not hand us over to the enemy. May Allah have mercy on the man who either speaks
good or remains quiet. I will impose such terms which will benefit the Muslims.

He then turned to the Aleppans and said, "Your terms of surrender will be the same
as that of Qinsarin."

Aleppans : O commander, Qinsarin is more ancient and has a larger population.
Furthermore, many citizens fled due to the prince's tyranny. He has confiscated our
wealth and grains and stored it all in his fort. None except the poor remain amongst
us. We ask you to be kind unto us.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> : Then what can you offer?

415

Futuhushdm

Aleppans : Half of what Qinsarin gave you.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4e> : I accept on the condition that when we come against your prince
you will supply us with food and fodder. You will come to buy and sell in our camp
and will not hide your bread. You will inform us about our enemy and will not let any
spy remain amongst us to spy upon us. If your prince comes fleeing to you, you will
prevent him from reaching the fort.

Aleppans : O commander, as for preventing him from entering the fort, we cannot
promise that which we cannot do. We have no power against him and his armies.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> : Very well, but you will have to take strong oaths in the Name of
Allah to fulfil all the other terms.

They all took the oaths he demanded and entered into the pact to include all the men,
animals, children, women, slaves and all their households.

Abu 'Ubaydah ^> : You have taken oaths and we have accepted your word. If we find
out that any of you have broken the terms or had information about your prince and
did not inform us then we will kill him and take all his wealth and children and Allah
will not hold us accountable. If you break these terms then the treaty is cancelled and
we have no responsibility towards you. As from the coming year, you will start to pay
the Jizyah.

Sa'd bin 'Amir at-Tanflfi narrates:

The Aleppans were happy with Abu 'Ubaydah's terms. They agreed and their names
were taken down. After they intended departing Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe> said, "Be at ease.
I will send men to escort you because now it has become compulsory upon us to
protect you until you return safely to your city."

"O commander," replied Dahdah, "We will take the same path as we originally took.
We do not need anyone to accompany us."

He let them go and spent the rest of the night worrying about Ka'b <&.

22) Allah saves the Muslims

The delegation entered Aleppo after sunrise. One of the prince's men asked them,
"From where are you coming? What are you doing?"

416

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Thinking him to be one of them they informed him of the treaty. He left them and the
citizens came out to welcome the delegation and questioned them. The delegates told
them about the treaty and they rejoiced.

The man went to the prince. He was surrounding the Sahabah & and thought that he
had them under control. He was waiting for later that morning to attack them when
his man arrived and said, "O prince, you do not know what is happening between you
and your people."

Yuqannd : Woe unto you! What is it?

Informant : They have surrendered to the 'Arabs. They might seize the fort and loot
its wealth and women.

Upon hearing this Yuqanna feared the loss of his fort and abandoned all thought of
killing the remaining Muslims. He had already killed more than 200.

Ka'b 4b had fought hard and was fearing that their destruction was at hand. He
narrates:

I was the commander at that battle and kept the men steady. Through my will-power
I encouraged them to fight and made every effort in their defence. I was wounded
and would have been overcome in battle so I took refuge with my men. I was still
hoping for help from Allah Most High and looked out for Abu 'Ubaydah's <& flag,
but that hope became ever more dim.

The battle lasted for a day and night until the morning of the second day. By Allah!
None of us even had the opportunity to perform Salah, eat anything or drink a drop
of water. I was wavering between hope and despair. I watched the Qinsarin road,
looking out for the flag of Islam, but there was no sign of it.

In the morning I saw some excitement at the ends of the enemy army. There was
some commotion, so I said, "This can only mean that reinforcements have arrived
from their city or Caesar." I then began reciting that which should be recited at the
time of difficulty, "There is no ability to avoid evil or power to do good except
through Allah, Most High, Most Mighty."

I swear that I had hardly finished these words when I saw the enemy withdrawing. I
shouted "All praise be to Allah! The praise of the grateful ones!"

417

Futuhushdm

I thought that a voice must have shouted at them from the sky to scatter them or that
angels had come down upon them just as they had done at Badr, but there remained
no trace of them.

I wanted to chase them but the Muslims called out, "O Ka'b, where are you going?
Are you not satisfied with what we went through? Stay here and be satisfied. We have
suffered much, are tired and must still perform our Salah. Our horses have to rest. It
is only through the will of Allah that they returned."

The Muslims stayed, drank water, performed wudfl and performed those salawat
which they had missed. They then ate and rested.

23) Yuqanna's revenge

No new news of Ka'b & had reached Abu 'Ubaydah <&>. After leading the Salatul Fajr
he turned to the Muslims and addressed Khalid <&>, "O Abu Sulayman, your brother,
Abu 'Ubaydah, did not sleep last night out of grief. While we have to be thankful for
the conquests which Allah has granted us, I fear that Ka'b's party has been
massacred because the delegates told me that their prince has set out against them. I
see no trace of them so I think that he must have met and killed all of them."

Khalid <&>: By Allah! I too could not sleep out of grief for them. What have you
decided to do?

Abu 'Ubaydah ^: We march.

He then issued the order and the Muslims began marching against Aleppo. Khalid <&>
led the vanguard and Abu 'Ubaydah *#& led the rearguard. In a short while they came
across the Muslims who were all sleeping. When the watchmen saw Khalid &>
raising the flag above his head he did not recognise him and called out, "To arms, O
helpers of Allah's Din!"

The Muslims jumped out of their sleep like sleeping lions and mounted their horses.
They charged ahead, but upon recognising the flag-bearer, exclaimed, "By Allah!
This is the flag of Islam and the Muslims."

Khalid 4fe dismounted and made salam to them. By that time the rearguard had also
arrived. When Abu 'Ubaydah <$> saw Ka'b * he praised Allah. Then when he and
the Muslims saw all the martyrs lying on the ground their joy turned to grief and they
exclaimed, "There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except through

418

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty. Verily we belong to Allah and to Him we
return."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b asked Ka'b &, "How were your men killed and who killed them?"

Ka'b * informed him about Yuqanna's coming with his men until the Muslims could
not even move. He then said, "We slept at night and then in the morning they just
started shouting and left without a fight."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : The Causer of all causes is sufficient for us. If only Abu 'Ubaydah
was killed instead of them and they were not killed under his flag.

He had the martyrs gathered in groups, prayed their Salatul Janazah and buried them
with their weapons and blood. He then said, "I have heard Rasulullah S saying -
"On the day of Judgement Allah will resurrect the martyrs killed in His Path with
their blood on their bodies. The colour will be that of blood, but the smell will be that
of musk. Light will glitter on them as they enter Jannah."

As he gazed at the martyrs lying in their still open graves, he said to Khalid <&, "If
Allah's enemy, Yuqanna, reaches Aleppo and learns about the treaty he will
severely punish them. I will go to them because it is our responsibility to defend them
now that they are our subjects."

He departed and upon reaching Aleppo found Yuqanna besieging the people,
intending to massacre them. The army had shouted, "Woe unto you! You surrendered
to the 'Arabs and became helpers to them against us."

Aleppans : We did that because they are always victorious.

Yuqanna : Woe unto you! Christ is not pleased with what you have done. By Christ!
I will massacre you all unless you come out and join me in fighting against them and
break your treaty with them. Tell me now who initiated this treaty so that I can kill
him first.

When they refused to obey him he said to his slaves, "Bring the following people for
me to kill. My man met them and informed me who they were."

The slaves entered the city and began to kill the delegates in their beds and at the
doors of their homes.

419

Futuhushdm

24) I die as a Muslim

Yuhanna who was in the fort heard the uproar and saw that his brother had started a
massacre. 300 had already been killed. He came out and shouted, "Easy! Do not do
this. Verily Christ will be angry with you. He forbade us from killing our enemies so
how can we kill our own co-religionists?"

Yuqannd : They surrendered our city to the 'Arabs and helped them against us.

Yuhanna : By Christ! The 'Arabs will never leave you and will take revenge against
you.

Yuqannd : Ha! Who is there that can take revenge against me?

Yuhanna : Christ will slay you just as you have slayed these innocents.

Yuqannd : Really? Well you were the one to lead them to this so now I will start with
you.

He grabbed his brother and unsheathed his sword. When the monk saw the drawn
sword he knew that his end was coming so he raised his head to the sky and
proclaimed, "O Allah, be my witness that I die as a Muslim, opposed to the religion
of these people. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad
is His Messenger."

Turning to the prince he said, "Do as you please. Once you have killed me I will be
entering gardens of bliss."

Yuqanna, already infuriated at his people's surrender and fearing the Muslim arrival,
there and then killed Yuhanna.

Yuqanna then turned to the Aleppans who were praying for help which was not
forthcoming. They begged him for mercy but received no reply. He continued the
massacre and their screams became ever louder. They were surrounded on all sides.
When they had lost all hope help finally arrived - they saw the flags of the Muslims
arriving.

Led by Khalid <&>, the Muslims proclaimed the Oneness of Allah. When he heard the
commotion and weeping he said to Abu 'Ubaydah 4^>, "By Allah! As you have said
the people under your responsibility have been destroyed."

He then called for his horse and flag-bearers and shouted, "O Disbelievers, leave our
subjects alone" and attacked with the Muslims, working the sword amongst the
enemy. Yuqanna thereupon fled with his generals to the fort.

420

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Muhsan bin 'Atrah narrates:

Allah relieved the people of Aleppo by killing the disbelieving soldiers. Those who
made it to the fort were saved but those who fled elsewhere were killed. Yuqanna had
massacred more than 300 of those who had surrendered to us while we killed more
than 3,000 of his men. This was an amazing event which gladdened the Muslims.
After we had killed the enemies and saved the Aleppans they narrated to Abu
'Ubaydah <$fc how Yuqanna had martyred his brother.

When the Muslims came, Yuqanna and his men took refuge in the fort and prepared
for a siege. He erected catapults and distributed much equipment for the siege and
arranged much weaponry at the walls.

In the meantime the Aleppans brought forty generals to the Muslims.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : Why have you captured these people?

Aleppans : They are Yuqanna's men who fled to us. We did not want to hide them
because they are not of us and are not included in the treaty.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4i> offered them Islam, but only seven accepted. He had the rest
beheaded and said to the Aleppans, "You have acted in good faith with regards to
your side of the deal. Soon you will see from us that which will gladden you. You
will join us in benefits and duties. Your prince has taken refuge in the fort. Do you
know of any flaw in it so that we may reach it to fight him? If Allah grants us victory
we will give you a share of the booty as a reward for your good deed."

Aleppans : O commander, by God! We know of no flaw in it. Yuqanna has cut off all
roads and entrances to it. This is all we know. If he had not killed Yuhanna then it
would have been easy to take the fort.

Abii 'Ubaydah «&: What happened to him?

They told him what his brother had done to him and that he had declared his Islam
after raising his head to the sky. They said, "We did not hear everything that he said,
but we did hear him saying - O Allah, I bear witness that there is no deity except You;
that Tsa is Your slave and Messenger; and that Muhammad is your slave and
Messenger through whom the line of prophethood ended. You made him the chief of
all Messengers and there is no religion higher than his. So do as you please, O
Yuqanna. - So when he became a Muslim, Yuqanna killed him."

Abu 'Ubaydah *&: Where did he kill him?

421

Futuhushdm

They took him, Khalid 4* and a group of Muslims to the high part of the market.
There they found Yuhanna lying on his back, his finger still pointing to the sky, his
face resembling a full moon. Abu 'Ubaydah *& took the body, covered it in cloth,
prayed over it and buried it at Abraham's Place.

25) Attack on the fort

A Muslim came and said, "May Allan keep the commander in a good state. Look at
these people. If they were really on our side they would have shown us the weak
points of the enemy. By Allah! They will never do that."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& turned to the Muslims and said, "Express your views, may Allah
have mercy upon you."

Yunus bin 'Amr al-Ghassani who knew Syria, her mountains, cities and roads well,
said, "May Allah keep the commander in a good state. Observe what I know of this
land and hear my opinion."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4t>: Speak, Ibn 'Amr, for we regard you to be a well-wisher of the
Muslims.

Yunus : Allah has conquered Syria through you - her soft land, her hard land, her
mountains and her rough terrain. The leaders and defenders of disbelief have been
killed. The remainder of their armies are behind the mountain passes which are rough
and forbidding. The enemy is terrified due to the extermination inflicted upon them
by Allah. They no longer have any heart to fight the Muslims. So besiege this fort
and raid the rest of the land with cavalry expeditions right up to the Euphrates River.
These people have no provisions to withstand us.

Khdlid4e> (smiling) : What an excellent idea. I wish to add something, let us attack
the fort, Perhaps Allah will grant us an immediate victory. I fear that the Roman
armies will attack us from another direction if we stay here too long and thus cut us
off from the fort.

Abu 'Ubaydah ^ : O Abu Sulayman, you expressed a view and expressed it well.
You spoke and spoke the truth.

He then ordered an attack on the fort. The horsemen dismounted and stripped off
their excess clothing. Chiefs and slaves mixed. Each tribe began vying with each
other and as the clans spread out they called to each other with poems and by
mentioning their lineage.

422

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Masruq bin Malik narrates:

By Allah! I never witnessed an attack on any Syrian fort greater than the attack on
Aleppo's fort. Our attack was like a spinning windmill, killing with its rotation. In
the first assault the warriors of Yaman and the chiefs of Rabi'ah and Mudar advanced
one after the other. They attacked from a point where there was not even a road
leading to it. As soon as they came near, the enemy opened fire with catapults and
other weaponry. My companions and I were the closest, so we took fright and ran
back, pushing each other out of the way, not thinking that any of us would survive.
Defeat set in amongst the Muslims and many of us were shattered by the rocks. Some
were killed by the rocks and others wounded. Amongst those killed at the siege of the
fort were: 'Amir bin al-Asla' ar-Raba'i, Malik bin Khaz'al ar-Raba'i, Hassan bin
Hazhalah, Marwan bin 'Abdillah, Sulayman bin Farigh al-'Amiri, 'Attaf bin Salim
al-Kilabl, Suraqah bin Muslim bin 'Awf al-'Adawi, Yamanis of the family of 'Amir
and Banu Kilab and others and seven from Banu 'Abdillah. Years later we would still
see men who were crippled from that incident.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4» raised his flag outside the city and called the Muslims to him. He
said, "O people, you have fought outstandingly today. Now bury the martyrs and
bandage your wounds."

The Muslims started doing that while the enemy rejoiced at the Muslim defeat.
Yuqanna said, "The Muslims will never come to the fort after today. If the siege
continues then I will go and trick them."

26) The night raid

'Abdullah bin Sulayman ad-Dinuri who narrates the conquest of Syria from
reliable Muslims says: 'Amr narrated to me:

Yuqanna selected 2,000 of his elite soldiers and said to them, "Go and hastily attack
the edge of their camp when their fires are extinguished. Defend each other and
plunder them."

He appointed his chief minister over them.

They left at night, circling the Muslims until they reached their destination. The
Muslim Bedouin of Yaman such as the Murad, Kilab and their slaves had
extinguished their fires.

423

Futuhusham

'Abdullah bin Safwan al-Bakki narrates:

That night we were unarmed. We were complacent due to our numbers and had set
no guard. Before we knew it, the enemy fully decorated in all their pomp, was
attacking us. They shouted things in their language which we did not understand.
They began striking us with their swords. The fortunate ones amongst us mounted
their horses to seek safety, but did not know where to go or how to escape. The
Muslims were brought to the ground and the call was raised, "To arms! To arms! By
the Rabb of the Ka'bah! We have been hit."

The Muslims rushed to Abu 'Ubaydah's 4& tent calling, "O commander, Yuqanna has
taken us by surprise."

Abu 'Ubaydah «&> mounted and went with some men around the camp. When the
enemy commander saw the 'Arabs about to encounter him, he shouted to his men,
"Whoever has taken anything should leave it and save himself."

They had taken about fifty of our men, mostly of Rabi'ah and Mudar. They gathered
and left for the fort. Khalid 4&> and his men charged at them, cutting off about 100 of
them and killing them all. When they reached the fort, Yuqanna opened the gate and
they entered.

After sunrise Yuqanna called the fifty Muslim prisoners who were tied with ropes.
He positioned them so that the Muslims could see them and hear them reciting, "La
ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah S!" until he had killed every last one of them.

When Abu 'Ubaydah 4& saw that he ordered the announcer to proclaim, "On behalf
of Allah and His Rasul, and as a command of the commander, Abu 'Ubaydah, no man
will entrust his guard duty to anyone else. Every man will have to guard himself. No-
one should speak to anyone else."

Everyone took their gear and went on guard.

Yuqanna turned his attention to his next scheme. Despite the Muslim siege, his spies
still managed to get to him and keep him informed, day and night. His best spies were
Christian 'Arabs because they were fluent in Greek as well. He was sitting in his fort
surrounded by his generals. They were feeling the pinch of the siege which was made
worse by the fact that the Aleppans would immediately seize any of the Yuqanna's
men upon seeing them and hand them over to the Muslims. A spy then arrived and
said, "O prince, this is the right time to trick the 'Arabs."

Yuqanna : How is that?

424

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Spy : They have gone to the Batnan Valley which has entered into a treaty with them
and has agreed to supply them with fodder and provisions. I have now seen a Muslim
party heading for the village with camels and mules. They are wearing only their
shirts and carrying only their spears with them. They are few, not all that many.

27) The second raid

Yuqanna selected 1,000 men and said, "Get ready. By Christ! I will make travel
difficult for the 'Arabs and cut off their roads."

At nightfall he opened the gate for them. The spy led them until they reached the
main road. They continued under the cover of night until they came across a cowherd
returning his herd to the town. When they saw the cowherd who was travelling
strenuously they rushed to him and said, "Did any 'Arabs cross your path?"

Cowherd : Yes. At sunset 100 horsemen came rushing past and had with them camels
and mules. They were seeking provisions from those under their rule in this valley,
but we do not fear them.

Commander : You have been kind enough to tell us about this valley's alliance which
we did not know about. Now, in the name of Christ, tell us in which direction they
went.

The cowherd pointed to the east and said, "That way."

The officer continued with his men, unaware that the cowherd was following them.

In the morning they saw the Muslims under the command of Munawish. When
Munawish saw the enemy cavalry he called out, "O sons of 'Arabs, this is a Roman
general. Beware of him and be firm in Jihad. Practise patience under difficulty to
attain Jannah."

The Muslims charged as did the Christians and an intense battle ensued. Thirty
Muslims, all of them from the Tayy tribe, were martyred. These included Munawish
bin ad-Dahak, al-Ghatrlf bin Thabit, Man!' bin Thabit, Mani' bin 'Asim and Kuhlan
bin Murrah.The rest fled leaving the enemy to seize the camels and booty.

The enemy commander said, "Take the load off some of the animals and cut their
legs. Bring the rest with their loads because it will be provision for us. Head for the
mountains and hide from the spies of the 'Arabs or else they will be here this very

425

Futuhushdm

moment with horses coming like a wind to defeat you. So hide until nightfall when
we can return to the protection of the fort."

They killed the camels and took the mules. They hid in a village in the mountain for
the rest of the day, waiting for the cover of night to return to the fort. A watchman
was appointed.

'Awf bin Sabbah at-Tai narrates:

I was amongst the horsemen when my paternal uncle, Munawish, was killed. We
were few and were attacked by surprise. After weighing our small numbers against
their great numbers and fierceness, we saved ourselves and went to the Muslim
camp. Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> rushed to us and asked, "What has happened?"

"War and death," we replied. "Munawish and many others were killed. Our
provisions and beasts were taken."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> : What could have befallen you when Allah has encircled the
Romans and none can come out?

Muslims : We do not know except that we saw a great patrician come against us in
good gear and with many horsemen prepared for battle. We do not know their
numbers, nor where they came from. They attacked us during our journey. They
killed our commander and others and took our beasts and provisions.

Abu 'Ubaydah & called Khalid <&> and said, "O Abu Sulayman, you are the man for
this job. I place my reliance first upon Allah, then upon you and I seek goodness from
Allah in all my affairs. Go with Allah's blessings and take whoever you like from the
Muslims. Go where the incident took place and follow their trail, perhaps Allah will
let us catch them. Seek them out wherever they may be and avenge the Muslims.
Remember that the people of the valley have a treaty with us so we should not be the
ones to break our word. However, if they have betrayed us then we will fight them,
so fear Allali with regards to their rights. Now go. May Allah have mercy on you."

Khalid <& rushed to his tent and took his arms. He then mounted his horse, intending
to leave alone. Abu 'Ubaydah & called out,"Where are you going to, Abu
Sulayman?"

Khalid *&•: To where you have ordered me to go.

Abu 'Ubaydah & : Take any Muslims whom you would like to accompany you.

426

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Khalid ^> : I am going alone. I do not want anyone with me.
Abu 'Ubaydah *&> : How can you go alone when your enemies are so many?
Khalid 4* : Whether they are 1,000 or 2,000, 1 will challenge them with Allah's help.
Abu 'Ubaydah *&> : You are like that, but still, take some men with you.

28) Khalid's <*> revenge

Khalid <&> eventually agreed to take Dirar ^ and others like him. When they reached
the battle site they saw the dead Muslims lying all around. They were surrounded by
the people of the valley who were weeping out of fear that the Arabs would take them
to account for the incident and take vengeance upon them and their children. So
when the Muslims arrived they screamed and threw themselves in front of Khalid <&.

Khalid *& : Who killed our men?

Christians : We are innocent of the blood of your men. We are at peace with you.

Khalid 4» made them swear that they had no knowledge of who had killed them and
they all swore.

Khalid &> : Then who could have attacked them?

Man : A general whom Yuqanna had sent with 1,000 of his fiercest warriors. They
have spies in your army who inform them about you at all times.

Khalid 4* : Which road did they take?

Man : This road.

Khalid 4& : Did you not swear to me that you had no knowledge of them?

Christian : He who informs you is not of us. He is an Aleppan who had come to buy
food. We had no information to give you.

Khalid 4* : So they took this road?

Aleppan man : Yes, I saw them heading for the mountains.

Khalid 4b then said to his men, "They realised that we would come after them so they
must have gone from the road to hide until night-time and then return to their fort.
Let us go after them."

427

Futuhushdm

Taking some Christian guides with them, the Muslims continued the pursuit. When
they reached the road, Khalid 4b asked one of the Christians, "Is there any other road
which they can take back to the fort?"

"Yes," replied the Christian, "but they will still have to pass by here. If you stay here
you will be successful, God-willing."

So they dismounted in the valley and hid, watching the road.

Not much of the night had passed when the sound of pounding hooves was heard.
The patrician was at the head of his men, encouraging them. When half of them had
passed by, Khalid 4b shouted like a lion and led his men out against them. He thought
that the patrician might be Yuqanna himself, so he aimed for him and cut him into
two pieces with a single blow. The Muslims hacked them down with their swords
until none survived except those for whom Allah had willed that their life-spans
should be extended.

The Muslims gathered all the booty, spiked the patrician's head on a spear point and
took it to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b, whom they found to be eagerly awaiting them. As Khalid
<ie> arrived with all the booty, prisoners and mules his men called out, "La ilaha
Ulallah! Allahu Akbar!" to which the Muslims in the camp responded in a like
manner.

There were 700 decapitated heads while more than 300 prisoners were taken. They
were offered Islam, but refused and said, "We will pay ransom."

"We will strike your necks to terrorise Allah's enemy," retorted Khalid 4b who
proved true to his word. He then said, "We thought that we had them tightly besieged,
but that is not so. They merely wait until we are neglectful and then they come
raiding. They killed our camels and mules, so it is only proper that we post tight
security on every road so that we may pass through while they are trapped in the fort.
We should make life as difficult as possible for them."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b : May Allah reward you well, Abu Sulayman. What excellent
insight you have.

After leading the Mulsims the next day in Salatul Fajr, Abu 'Ubaydah 4b called
'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr, Dirar 4b, Sa'id bin Zayd bin 'Amr bin Nufayl, Qays bin
Hubayrah and Maysarah bin Masruq. He ordered each one to guard a separate spot
with men of his own choice and to cut off all roads to Yuqanna to the extent that if
even a bird flew over they should cage it. They did this, but as time passed slowly,

428

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> became exasperated. He ordered the Muslims to withdraw so that
they could return and attack once the enemy had lowered its guard.

29) The spy

The Muslims withdrew to a nearby village, an-Nirab, but Yuqanna showed no sign
of opening the gate and coming out. Abu 'Ubaydah j&> became extremely worried
and said to Khalid 4&, "O Abu Sulayman, the spies of Allah's enemy go and warn
him. Go around the camp and investigate. Perhaps you will discover a spy."

Khalid ^mounted his horse and ordered that any stranger should be caught. As he
patrolled he came across a Christian 'Arab who carried a cloak and kissed it. When
he saw Khalid <& his blood curdled

Khalid 4& : From which nation are you?

Ghassdni : Yaman.

Khalid 4i> '■ From which tribe?

The Ghassani intended mentioning another tribe, but the truth slipped from his
tongue, "I am of Ghassan."

Khalid^ : O enemy of Allah, you are the spy for our enemy!

Ghassdni : I am not a Christian. I am a Muslim.

Khalid <& took him to Abu 'Ubaydah <$> and said, "O commander, I doubt him. I have
never seen him before today and he says that he is of Ghassan. He is certainly a cross-
worshipper."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fc : Test him.

Khalid *&: With what?

Abu 'Ubaydah 4i> '■ With the Quran and Salah. If he cannot answer you then he is not
a Muslim.

Khalid <& : Right. Pray two rak'at and recite loudly in both of them.

When the Ghassani could not, Khalid *$> shouted, "O enemy of Allah, you are a spy
against us."

429

Futuhushdm

Upon further questioning he confessed that he was a spy.

Khdlid <& : Are you alone?

Ghassdni : No, I am one of three. The other two have gone to the fort to inform
Yuqanna about you. I stayed behind to see what you were doing.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> : What do you prefer, Islam or death? You have no other option.

Ghassdni : I bear witness that there is no deity besides Allah and that Muhammad is
His Messenger.

30) 'Umar's 4fc complaint

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& returned to Aleppo where the fort remained under siege for another
four to five months. 'Umar 4&> had not received any information from him for a
lengthy period of time so he wrote to him:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : 'Umar, the slave of Allah

To : His governor, Abu 'Ubaydah

Saldm 'alayka

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and I convey
salutations upon His Prophet, Muhammad.

O Abu 'Ubaydah! Know that because of you not sending any
information my heart and my very body is undergoing difficulty,
worrying about the Muslims. Day and night my heart is with
you. When I neither receive any information nor any messenger
from you, my mind wanders and my thoughts are confused. You
write of neither conquest nor booty.

O Abu 'Ubaydah! Know that I may be physically absent from
you, but my thoughts are constantly with you and I continuously
make du 'a for you. My anxiety for you is like an affectionate

430

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

mother s towards her baby. Please act as a helper of Islam and
the Muslims when you receive my letter.

Wassalamu 'alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakdtuhu.

He then sent the letter.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4fr read out the letter to the Muslims and said, "0 Muslims, when the
Commander of the Believers is making du'a for you and is pleased with you then
Allah will help you." He then wrote the following reply:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

To : The Commander of the Believers, Abu 'Abdilldh 'Umar bin
al-Khattdb

From : His governor over Syria, Abu 'Ubaydah

Saldm 'alayka

I praise Allah Most High and convey salutations upon His
Prophet.

O Commander of the Believers! Allah Most High to Whom all
praise belongs conquered Qinsarin at our hands after which we
raided al-'Awdsim. Allah then granted us Aleppo by treaty.
However, the fort which holds many men under the prince,
Yuqannd, still defies us. He has tricked us several times.

(He then mentioned the whole incident of Yuhanna.)

He killed many of our men whom Allah blessed with martyrdom
at his hands.

(He then mentioned the ambush massacre.)

We then intended to deceive him, but failed. I now intend lifting
the siege and going to the land between Aleppo and Antioch. I
await your reply.

431

Futuhusham

He sent the letter with 'Abdullah bin Qurt 4& and Ja'dah bin Jubayr 4fe.

The two took the al-'Atiqah road and travelled hard until they had crossed the land
of al-Jaffar to Sakasikah which is an 'Arab fort close to Tima. A horseman was
spotted who was wearing full armour and a glittering helmet. He held his spear as if
he had either just come from combat or was about to engage in combat. When he saw
them he came towards them.

Ibn Qurt & '■ Do you see this horseman coming towards us in this place and
condition?

Ja 'dah & : Why should we fear any 'Arab horseman when there is nobody in this
region who lifts a spear or ties a bow except that he has entered under our rule and
law?

The horseman appeared, made salam, and asked, "Where are you two coming from
and where are you going to?"

"We are messengers from the general, Abu 'Ubaydah, to the Commander of the
Believers, 'Umar bin al-Khattab - may Allah be pleased with him," they replied, "and
who are you?"

Horseman : I am Hilal bin Badr at-Tai.

Messengers : Why do we see you carrying weapons?

Hilal : I have come with some of my people to wage Jihad in Syria due to a letter we
had received from 'Umar 4b. When I saw the two of you at the bottom of the valley
I headed towards you. My people are coming behind me.

Hilal then made salam to them and departed. He saw his people's caravan of camels
coming in a line until they met up with him. When he told them about the two
Sahabah they were pleased and continued towards Syria.

31) Yamani reinforcements

Ibn Qurt 4& and Ja'dah 4& reached al-Madinah. They entered the Masjid, made salam
to 'Umar 4t> and the Muslims and gave him the letter. Upon reading it he rejoiced and
lifting his palms to the sky, saying, "O Allah, save the people from the evil of every
evil one."

He then ordered the herald to announce, "Congregational prayer!"

432

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

After they had gathered he read the letter out to them. The men of Hadramawt and
the ends of Yaman such as Hamdan, Madan, Saba and Marib then came to him,
requesting that he send them to Syria.

'Umar & : How many are you? May Allah bless you.

Yamanis : We are 400 horsemen; 300 riding two per camel and many who have no
mounts and have to walk Do you have mounts for us so that we may reach the
enemy?

'Umar 4&> : How many of you are walking?

Yamanis : 140.

'Umar 4&> : 'Arabs or slaves?

Yamanis : 'Arabs and slaves whom their masters have permitted to travel and partake
in Jihad against the enemy

'Umar 4e> then called his son, 'Abdullah * and said, "Get seventy camels given in
charity for these people so that they may ride them and load their provisions upon
them."

'Abdullah & hastened to comply and gave them the seventy camels, saying, "Strive
to reach your brothers and hasten to the enemy."

'Umar 4& then wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah 4*>:

Your messengers have brought me your letter. I am happy at
both the victories and the martyrdom which has been obtained.
Your desire to withdraw to the land between Aleppo andAntioch
away from the fort is not correct. If you leave such a man whose
lands are close and whose city you rule then he will spread the
news in all directions that you could not overcome him and then
your reputation will weaken. His prestige will rise and enemies
will entertain hopes against you. The armies of Rome will
become bold against you - their elite and their commoners.
Kings will send spies to him and correspond with each other
against you. So beware of abandoning your struggle until either

433

Futuhusham

Allah kills him, or if Allah wills he surrenders or Allah decides
something else and He is the best decision maker.

Send horsemen to the soft-lands, the rough-lands, the spacious
lands, the mountain-tops and valleys. Send raiding expeditions
to the ends of the deserts.

Accept the surrender of whoever wishes to surrender. Grant
safety to whoever requests it. Allah is my Overseer over you and
the Muslims.

I am sending this letter to you together with a group of men from
Hadramawt and other places and the chiefs ofYaman who have
dedicated their lives to the Path of Allah. They are eager for
Jihad. They include both 'Arabs and slaves and both cavalry
and infantry. If Allah wills reinforcements will continuously be
arriving.

Was-Saldm.

32) The black giant

The reinforcements travelled hard and at the same time enquiring from Ibn Qurt 4b
and Ja'dah about Syria. They asked about the conquests and the killing of the
Romans as well as where the Muslims were camped.

Ibn Qurt 4b : The Muslims and their general are besieging Aleppo's fort. There is a
mighty Roman prince in it with many followers. They have fortified themselves
therein.

Yamanis : Why do they not surrender as those before them have done?

Ibn Qurt 4» : O 'Arabs, since al-Yarmuk we have not seen anyone braver than this
man. He kills men and brings down great warriors. He attacks the ends of the camp
at the time of Salah, kills men and plunders wealth. Once he came under the cover
of night to seize fodder. He took mules, provisions and food and then returned to the
fort without our knowledge. The Muslims may be besieging him, but they fear him
and are wary of him.

434

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Amongst those who heard him was Damis, a slave of the royal Tarif clan of the
Kindah tribe. He was well known by both his name as well as nickname, Abu al-
Hawl or Abu al-Ahwal (Father of terror). He was pitch black and as tall as a palm
trunk. When he mounted a tall horse his legs would drag on the ground. When
mounted on a tall camel his knees would reach near the camel's legs. He was a great
strong horseman whose fame had spread, whose list of deeds increased and who was
highly esteemed in all the cities of Kindah, the valleys of Hadramawt, the mountains
of Muhrah and the land of trees. He used to terrify the Bedouins and loot the wealth
of the city-dwellers (presumably this refers to the pre-Isldmic period - translator 's
note). Fine horses were unable to race him. When the 'Arabs had eventually caught
him in the courtyside they were astounded at his strength.

Hearing what Yuqanna was doing to the Muslims he almost exploded with rage and
said to Ibn Quit, "Rejoice my 'Arab Brother! By Allah! I will strive until Allah
defeats him at my hands."

Ibn Qurt_ 4t> ■ O son of a black woman, you have deluded yourself with the
impossible. Woe unto you! Do you not know that all the great Muslim warriors are
besieging him and fighting his men, but none have none able to overcome his evil.
He has tricked and triumphed over many kings.

Damis (angry) : By Allah! O 'Abdullah, were it not for the brotherhood of Islam
between us I would deal with you before I deal with him. Beware of looking down
on men. If you would like to know about me then ask from those of my people who
are present. Ask about those deeds of mine which leave the mind confused and
narrow the heart. Ask how many armies I have destroyed, how many forces I have
scattered, how many caravans I have decimated, how many raids I have conducted.
No neighbour can harm me and no defect can reach me. Through the grace of Allah
I am an attacking horseman, not a fleeing one.

He then stormed off to the front of the expedition. A group of 'Arabs then said to Ibn
Quit 4fe, "O brother 'Arab, have mercy on yourself. By Allah! You have spoken to
such a man who makes the impossible possible. He takes difficult tasks to be light.
He is outstandingly strong and fears no man. Champion warriors do not scare him.
In war he is at the forefront - his target cannot escape and none can beat him."

Ibn Qurt 4& : You are exaggerating, but I do hope that Allah brings some good
through him.

They increased their pace until they reached Abu 'Ubaydah 4*> and the Muslims who
were besieging the fort on all sides. When the newcomers saw the army, they took

435

Futuhushdm

out their decorations, unsheathed their swords and other weapons, unfurled their
flags and shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" simultaneously and recited salutations upon
Rasulullah 81. The army responded with shouts of, "Allahu Akbar!" from every
direction. Abu 'Ubaydah 4& came out to welcome them. After salam was exchanged
each tribe went to join the camp of their fellow tribesmen in the army.

33) Damis 's bravery

Yuqanna had maintained a few light attacks against the Muslims at night, but never
emerged during daylight. He stayed on the lookout for neglect amongst the Muslims.
The new arrivals of Tay, Shanbas, Nabhan, Kindah and Hadramawt spent the night
observing the heavy security being maintained.

Damis Abu al-Hawl went to his people of Tarif and Kindah and said, "By Allah! You
are not fit to be called besiegers."

Kindah : Why is that?

Damis : The enemy is at the top of the fort while you are here at the bottom, on the
ground with no enemy facing you. What do you fear?

Kindah : O Abu al-Hawl, the prince of this fort brings about evil fortune. He looks
out for neglect on our part, attacks our camp's end and even comes to where we
should be safe.

Suddenly screams were heard coming from the end of the camp. Damis unsheathed
his sword and covered himself with his shield. He set out in the direction of the
screams and found Yuqanna attacking a group of Muslims with 500 great warriors,
all of them fierce lions. Damis paused in the midst of the enemy and recited:

^-JTLJ jJ-^p J_^ ^_.a_^ ^jl-~. J_L_, ^^ ^_J

/ am Damis the father of terror

They do I attack and knock over.

I am a lion, a champion, a veteran

I knock over every enemy man.

436

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

He and a group of Banu Tarif launched an attack and Yuqanna had to retreat. 200 of
his men were killed but Damis continued attacking and chased them right up to the
pathway of the fort. He was followed by the Kindah.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& called out, "I forbid you from following them in the darkness of
the night."

They said to Damis, "O Abu al-Hawl, the commander orders us to return, so return.
May Allah have mercy on you."

Damis and the Kindah returned after having put up an excellent fight and the
Muslims rejoiced.

After the people had prayed Salatul Fajr behind Abu 'Ubaydah j&, everyone spread
out except for a few generals who discussed the events of the previous night.

Khdlid^> : May Allah keep the commander in a good state. I saw the Kindah putting
up a good performance. They advanced and remained steadfast. They continued
striking until the enemy's violence was lifted from us.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> : By Allah! You have spoken the truth, Abu Sulayman. The Kindah
made the people happy with their firmness. I heard them saying, "Damis has done
well. Abu al-Hawl has performed excellently."

Surdqah bin Mirdds bin Yakrub, a chief of Kindah : May Allah keep the commander
in a good state. Damis and Abu al-Hawl are one and the same person. He is the slave
of the Tarif clan and is part of that group which arrived yesterday. He terrifies
champions, humiliates brave ones and disgraces opponents. No force terrifies him
and no attack is difficult for him.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> : Do you hear what Suraqah says about their slave, Damis?

Khdlid 4^. : It may be true for I have heard about his bravery before. An-Nu'man bin
'Ashirah al-Muhri told me that Damis single-handedly attacked a party of seventy of
the Muhrah on the coast. He was hunting them down to take revenge on behalf of his
people. They feared him, his evil and violence so much that they fled from him,
taking their wealth and beasts with them to the bottom of the mountains at the coast.
He continued looking for them until he discovered where they were. He then called
his people to help him fight them, but not a single one of them came forward. He
knew the land well - the plains, the rough terrain, the coast and the inland regions.
When he despaired of his people's assistance he went to his secret lair and came out

437

Futuhushdm

carrying a bundle on his shoulders. His people said to him, "Where are you going to
and what are you carrying?"

"O people," he replied, "I am going to attack Banu ash-Sha'r and take revenge
against them. I will expose their shame."

The village-elders said, "We have never seen anything more strange. You know that
there are seventy of them. How can one man go against all of them? We think that
you are going to Jawwad."

Jawwad was a slave-girl of Banu Hayyas of Hadramawt. She lived in Asfal, a village
in Hadramawt. Damis was in love with her and whatever money, camels and horses
he plundered he would give to her however great the amount might be. In fact he
disliked giving her little. The village-elders now thought that the bundle was also for
her. Damis said to them, "By Allah! How can you say that about me when I am a
great warrior? You will soon see that I am true to my word."

They left him and he went to his people's pasturage to take his mount from amongst
the camels. He mounted, taking his shield and sword with him and placing the bundle
under him. He travelled for the rest of the day and night. Towards the end of the night
he reached a valley where he made his camel sit. He unloaded it, tied it and left it to
graze. The enemy was nearby, so he hid behind two rocks in case they should
stumble across him.

After another day had passed and the second night arrived he reloaded the camel and
mounted it. He continued until he spotted some fires and headed towards them. He
made his camel sit and tied its mouth to prevent the enemy from hearing it. The
bundle contained sheets of cloth. He took them and tied each one onto a different
branch of an Acacia tree in such a way that they resembled men's turbans. He then
used rocks to erect forty of the branches and dressed each with loincloths and
reddish-purple robes. He jumped from the high ground where he had done all this
and went to the village.

He went around the houses, pondering over his plan. Most of the night had already
passed. At dawn he went to the coast and shouted, "Your time is near. I am Abu al-
Hawl. Morning has brought your destruction from land and sea. O Tarif, revenge! O
Kindah!"

When they heard this the men became alarmed and the women screamed. They fled
to the mountain on the coast with Damis in hot pursuit. However, once they realised
that he was all alone, they encouraged each other and turned to confront him, hoping

438

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

to overcome him. Damis attacked them, killing one man after the other. Seeing what
great strength he had, some of them headed for the high ground in order to attack him
from behind. He feared that they would get too close to the branches and discover his
trick. He rushed to the branches and spoke to them as if he was speaking to real men,
"O Kindah! O Tarif, beware! They are coming, but do not attack them. I will sacrifice
my life for you, but if I am injured you may come out and attack them."

The enemy looked at him and saw the cloth covered branches. In the dim light of
dawn they really looked like men, so they withdrew to the sea. Damis then called out,
"O my people, swear that you will not leave your stations. I suffice all of you against
them."

Banu Muhrah fled. Some of them put their wives on the back of their mounts with
them, others took their children, others their slave-girls and others what furniture
they could manage. Damis returned to the village and found only children, slaves and
old people. He ordered the slaves to load the camels. After they loaded the camels he
shackled them and took them all with him. He removed the cloths off the branches
and returned with the camels and slaves to his people who were absolutely astounded
at his feat.

34) Damis's dream

Abu 'Ubaydah <& then said to Suraqah, "Call your slave so that I can see and hear
him."

When Suraqah brought him he asked, "Are you Damis?"

Damis : Yes, may Allah keep the commander in a good state.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : I have heard amazing things about you and believe them to be
possible coming from a great man like you. I know that you and your people fight in
the plains, not in the mountains and forts, yet last night you people rushed
dangerously after the enemy. Have mercy upon yourself and beware of this prince,
Yiiqanna.

Damis : May Allah keep the commander in a good state. I raided Muhrah and took
their wealth although their mountain is towering high, formidable, rocky and rough.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4* : I see that you are of high rank. Do you have any thoughts with
regards to this fort?

439

Futuhushdm

Ddmis : May Allah keep the commander in a good state. I had a dream when I arrived
here...

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& : What did you dream? May Allah show you only goodness.

Ddmis : I dreamed that I was in a flat land looking for my people. Suddenly I came
across them. I found them to be confused, neither going forward, nor back. I asked
them, "O my people, what keeps you like this on the road?"

"Do you not see the mountain at the end of the road?" they asked, "We cannot find
any pathway or means to climb it."

"Be calm," I replied, "Do you not see that crack in the mountain?"

They said, "It is not possible for us to climb through."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because there is a giant python there. It kills whoever passes through. It has already
killed many men and warriors," they replied.

"Then find a way behind it," I said.

They said, "We cannot do that due to its massive body."

So I left them and searched for a way, but only found a very difficult one. I plunged
in and with great difficulty reached behind the python and killed it. I then returned to
my people who followed me. They reached their destination with much hardship, but
were safe from the enemy. I then awoke in a state of great happiness.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4» : Good! O Damis, you saw good coming. Your dream is good news
for the Muslims and bad news for the enemy. Now sit in your place.

He then summoned all the chiefs and said, "Allahu Akbar! Allah has conquered and
helped us. He has gifted us victory and defeated those who disbelieve. O Muslims,
listen to the dream of your brother Damis, for it is a lesson to all who heed and a
warning to all who think."

When they came forward to listen Abu 'Ubaydah ^ stood up and said, "All praise
be to Allah and salutations and peace be upon His Rasfll. O people, through the
tongue of His Rasul, Muhammad, Allah Most High and Pure has promised us in His
Book victory against our enemy and triumph in attaining our goals. Allah will never
break His promise. I have vowed that if Allah grants me the conquest of this fort then

440

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

I will perform whatever good I am capable of. My heart tells me that if Allah wills
we will triumph over this fort and its inhabitants. There is no ability to avoid evil and
no power to do good except through Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty. This I
feel is due to this slave's dream which points to victory."

He then grabbed Damis's forearm and said, "May Allah have mercy on you. Tell your
brothers what you dreamt."

Damis stood up and narrated the whole dream from beginning to end. The Muslims
then said to Abu 'Ubaydah 4t, "O commander, we have heard and pondered over it
but do not understand its meaning."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4$> : May Allah have mercy on you. Know that the high, lofty,
impassable mountain between the mountain-passes and the fort is nothing other than
the Din of Islam and the Sunnah of Muhammad. The python which was blocking the
people and which he then attacked and killed with his sword means that Allah will
grant relief to the Muslims through him.

Muslims (happy) : O commander, what do you order us to do?

Abu 'Ubaydah 4» : I order you to fear Allah in open and in secret. Keep working
against the enemy, cheerfully and patiently. Now return to your camps, may Allah
protect you. Get yourselves, your equipment of war and whatever else you need
ready because I am sending you first thing tomorrow morning to the enemy unless
one of you have a differing view. I do not refrain from consulting such Muslims upon
whose opinions I can rely.

Muslims : May Allah guide your thoughts and grant you victory over your enemies.
Verily he is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, the One Who does as He pleases.

The chiefs returned to their tents. Some sharpened their swords, some prepared their
equipment and horses, some inspected their armour, others inspected their bows and
arrows. The rest of the day was spent in this way.

35) Damis's plan

In the morning Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe called Damis and said, "O blessed boy, do you have
a strategy against the fort?"

Damis : O commander, it is a strong, high, impregnable fort which makes any
attacker helpless. It withstands sieges and its people are not shy to fight. However, I

441

Futuhushdm

have thought of a strategy which if Allah wills will lead to their destruction. Through
Allah's will we will own their homes and completely uproot them.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4i> '■ O Damis, what is it?

Ddmis : May Allah keep the Commander in a good state. You know the harm of
spreading a secret. He who keeps his secret keeps his options open to him.

It is said that Damis was the first to say this and it became an idiom in 'Arabic.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4» '■ What do you advise and what do you need?

Ddmis : I want you to lead your men in an attack against them until you are directly
facing them so that they may become terrified at you. In this lies a strategy which I
hope that Allah will make it succeed. There is no ability to avoid evil and no power
to do good, except through Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty.

Abu 'Ubaydah & issued orders to go against the fort so the Muslims went beneath
the fort walls, reciting, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" and brandished their
weapons to terrify Allah's enemy. When the Romans saw the great numbers coming
against them they became scared and Allah cast terror into their hearts. Their seniors
began to consult each other. Some said, "We should fight them," while others said,
"No, we should sit in the fort because they have no power against us."

They eventually decided upon attacking from the fort. They would fling arrows and
stones from the top of the towers. They continued this day and night and Damis
found that his plan was failing.

After forty-seven days Damis came to Abu 'Ubaydah <& and said, "O commander, I
am helpless. Nothing is being achieved through my plan, but I now have a new plan
through which I hope for victory against the enemies of Allah."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4a : What is your plan?

Ddmis : Give me thirty of your boldest men and order them to obey me and not to
oppose me in what I order them to do.

Abu 'Ubaydah <$> : I will do that.

He then gathered thirty brave warriors and said to them, "O Muslims, I appoint
Damis over you and order you to obey him. May Allah have mercy on you. Know
that I have not put him over you considering him to be better in worth and lineage or
a greater and stronger warrior. So none of you should say that I have appointed a

442

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

lowly slave over you. By Allah! Were it not for my duties in organising the army I
would be the first to go with him in your group. I hope that Allah will grant you
victory."

The thirty : May Allah keep the commander in a good state. We have no doubt that
you honour us and know our record. Your first words were enough to affect us. We
present ourselves to you and even if you were to appoint an uncircumcised
disbeliever over us we would not disobey you in the least. We know you to be a well-
wisher of the Din and a cautious man. So we hear and obey Allah, then you, then
whomsoever you appoint over us.

These words gladdened Abu 'Ubaydah *&>. He trusted them, thanked them and said,
"May Allah have mercy on you. My heart tells me that Allah will conquer this fort
through this slave because he has keen insight and knows strategy. Go and put your
trust in Allah. You know that Rasulullah S had appointed slaves over the chiefs of
the Muslims and the noble ones of his family. O Damis, what else do you want?

Ddmis : Take the army immediately until you are at a distance of one Farsakh (5.5
km) from us. Halt and order the men to make as few movements as possible. They
should hide themselves as much as they can. Appoint reliable spies whom you know
to be well-wishers of the Muslims. They should keep an eye on us without contacting
us. They should have no weapons other than daggers. Once they see us engaging the
enemy they should go and inform you and then you can come join us. They should
be at a single place, but also slightly spread out. In that way they will be safest and
also capable of fulfilling their task. Allah's help should be sought in all matters and
conditions.

In this way Abu 'Ubaydah ^ concluded that Damis was a sincere, far-sighted man.
Damis then turned to his thirty men and said, "O 'Arab youth, may Allah bless you.
Hide in one of the valleys until the army finishes marching off because at that time
the Romans will be looking out from the top of the fort and may spot us. Each man
should take his sword, shield and dagger and nothing else."

Once they took what he had instructed them to take Damis put on his upper-body
armour and put his dagger under his robe. He took his men out of the camp, all the
while hiding their trail. When they reached a cave at the mountain he ordered them
to enter while he sat at the entrance.

36) Damis 's prisoners

Abu 'Ubaydah -sfe organised his, troops and left as Damis had advised. The enemy
watched them. They rejoiced and jeered at the Muslims. They went and told
Yuqanna, "O Sir, open the gates so that we can kill and capture the 'Arabs."

443

Futuhusham

He forbade them and so they remained inside until evening.

In the meantime Damis said to his men, "Who will go beneath the fort to get
information? He must capture one of them and bring him to us so that we can
question him."

When none answered he said, "I see that all of you are miserly with your lives and
hate death. I will be the sacrifice for you all. Stay and watch my stealth."

He left them and within a short while returned with a Christian and said, "O 'Arab
youth, question him."

They questioned him, but could not understand his language.

Damis said, "Do not worry" and left to return with three others but none understood
'Arabic.

Damis exclaimed, "May Allah curse them. How horrible their language is and how
horrible is their pronounciation."

He then tied them up and disappeared until half the night had elapsed. His men
became extremely worried and said to each other, "Damis has been outwitted. He is
either dead or captured."

They kept on speaking about him. They decided to return to the army when Damis
suddenly appeared, dragging a Roman behind him. The Muslims jumped at him,
kissed him between the eyes and asked him as to his delay. They said, "O Damis, our
hearts feared the worst and your delay was most difficult upon us."

Damis : May Allah Most High have mercy upon you. Know that when I separated
from you I went near to the fort walls and hid from them. They kept passing by me,
babbling in their language. I ignored them all because I wanted someone who could
speak 'Arabic. I had given up hope and intended to return in defeat when I heard a
massive crash coming from the top of the fort. I went to investigate and found this
man who had thrown himself from the fort to the bottom of the wall. I rushed to him
and grabbed him. I brought him here, so interrogate him.

They spoke to him, but he only spoke Greek. They saw that his forehead was open
with wounds. Damis then said, "He must have a story behind him. I think that he was
fleeing from them, but none of you understands what he says. However, do not
worry. I will soon get someone who understands both his language and 'Arabic."

444

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

He rushed off and in a short while returned pulling a man by his turban which he had
tied around his neck. They asked him, "Are you from the city or the fort?"

(He was from the fort. In 'Arabic rhetoric hathf is the omission of text implied by the
following text - translator s note)

Ddmis : Are you a Roman or a Christian 'Arab?

Prisoner : Christian 'Arab.

Muslims : Can you tell us of any weak points of the fort?

Prisoner : I do not know of any defects or of any way into the fort. Even if I knew,
then by Christ, how can my religion permit me to tell you?

Ddmis (angry) : Ask these four prisoners if any of them are of the city for then they
will fall under our treaty.

After questioning them he said, "None of them are of the city. They are all from the
fort. I recognise them all."

Ddmis : Now ask this other man why he threw himself from the wall.

He questioned him and said, "He says - Prince Yuqanna is angry with the Aleppans
for making peace with you and sent threatening messages to them. When the 'Arabs
withdrew he came down and gathered all the chiefs, including myself, and took us to
the fort. There he demanded such sums pf money that we could not afford. When I
saw what was happening I threw myself down from the fort to save myself from his
punishment. Before I knew it, you caught me. I am from the city. If you are 'Arabs
then I am under your rule and protection. Do not violate your word by betraying me.
If you are not 'Arabs then claim whatever ransom you want because I have just
escaped a great torture."

Ddmis : Tell him that we are 'Arabs and will not harm him. He should not fear.

Damis wanted to show him how he treated enemies, so he beheaded all the Romans
and the Christian 'Arab. He spared the Aleppan and set him free. He then took out of
his pack a parcel wrapped in goat's skin. He unwrapped it to reveal dried bread. After
putting the skin on his back, he said, "In the name of Allah. Seek His help and rely
upon Him. You will hide yourselves and be resolute for I am determined to conquer
this fort if Allah wills."

"Go with Allah's blessings," they replied and hastily stood up.

445

Futuhushdm

Damis led them and sent two men to report to Abu 'Ubaydah 4fc and to say to him,
"Despatch the cavalry at dawn."

37) The Muslims enter the fort

The two left while Damis led the rest under the cover of darkness. He was crawling
on all fours with the goat-skin on his back. Whenever he sensed anything coming he
would gnaw on the dry bread as if he was a dog gnawing on a bone. His men would
wait behind him, hiding behind rocks. They continued like this until they reached the
fort walls and could hear the voices of the watchmen. Men were shouting from the
top of the fort and security was tight.

Damis continued roaming around the wall until he reached a quiet spot and found the
security to be sleeping. No other enemies were close by. He then said to his men,
"You can see how high and well-defended this fort is. There is no tactic to overcome
the tight security and the enemy's alertness. Do any of you know of a way in which
we can climb up and reach the centre?"

The men replied, "O Damis, the commander appointed you over us. You know better
than us and are braver than us. We are completely in your hands. We will not tarry in
whatever you feel benefits the Muslims. By Allah! Our deaths and the departing of
our souls are easier upon us than to return without accomplishing anything. So order
us and we will hear and obey. None will delay in following you. We will not die
except beneath the shadow of swords, obeying Allah and helping the Din of Islam."

Damis said, "May Allah accept your virtues. May He help you against your enemies.
If that is your intention, then stick closely together as we advance upon this place."

They were twenty-eight men at that moment, two having gone to Abu 'Ubaydah <$>.

Damis : Is there anyone amongst you who can climb up the fort?

The twenty-eight : O Abu al-Hawl, who can climb without a ladder?

Damis : Do not worry.

He then chose seven such savage lions from amongst them who would be able to
carry the entire tower without difficulty. He squatted and said to one of the seven,
"Sit on my shoulders. Firmly grab the wall and sit as I am sitting." He thus ordered
them one after the other to do this until the last one had reached the top. He ordered
the top one to stand up straight and firmly grab the wall. They all did this, one after

446

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

the other, until eventually Damis himself stood up. At that point the top man could
reach the top of the wall. He grabbed and hung onto it. He jumped up and saw the
watchman sleeping, intoxicated with wine. He grabbed the watchman's arms and
legs and threw him down. When the watchman reached the ground the Muslims
stabbed him and hid the corpse.

The top man found another two senseless guards. He slit their throats and flung them
down. Then unwinding his turban he extended it down to his companions. One of
them to whom Damis had given a rope now climbed up and extended the rope. The
rest climbed up and reached the top of the wall, the last being Damis.

Damis said, "Wait here while I go and explore."

He reached the prince's quarters in the centre of the fort and found him sitting,
surrounded by his officers. Yuqanna was sitting on brocade carpets, wearing a
costume of pearls woven with gold. On his head was a jewelled head-band. They had
pitchers of wine in front of them and frankincense and musk wafted in the air.

Damis returned to his men and said, "They are many and should we attack them we
would have no guarantee of coming back safely. We shall wait until dawn. We will
then attack Yuqanna and his officers with our swords. If we overcome them and
Allah lowers them for us, then that is what we want. Otherwise, morning is quite
close and there is no doubt that the two messengers must have reached Khalid bin al-
Walid 4& and that he will come to us at that time."

Muslims : We do not oppose you in any way. We have already entered the enemy's
fort and now nothing will save us except the truth of our Jihad coupled with
resolution and strength.

38) The fort is captured

The fort had two gates with a_ corridor in between them. Gatekeepers were stationed
at the inside while men took turns to sleep there. Damis reached one closed gate and
found all the guards sleeping in a state of drunkenness. He soon remedied their state
by slitting their throats. He opened both gates and left them swinging.

By the time he returned to his men it was already close to dawn. "Good news!" he
announced, "I opened both gates and killed those around them. So seize the gates
before the enemy returns there. The enemy is still waiting to be harvested by Muslim
swords."

447

Futuhushdm

He then sent one man to Khalid <&> and five to seize the gates while he took the rest
with him to Yuqanna's quarters. They raised a shout which penetrated throughout the
fort and then all turned round and went to the gate, each guarding his own post.

The appearance of the Muslims made the Romans scream, "O no, how did this trick
succeed against us?"

Yuqanna called out to his men who came to him from all directions. The Muslims
shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" in a single voice which made the Romans think that the
fort was filled with them.

Ibn 'Aws narrates:

The Romans fought fiercely while the Muslims fought like savage lions. I did not see
anyone that day who surpassed Damis in his attacks. After the battle we counted
seventy-three wounds on his body, all of them on the front. At the height of the battle
we were twenty-three defending each other. Four were killed: 'Aws bin 'Amir al-
Hazmi of Banu al-Hazm, Abu Hamid bin Suraqah al-Himyari, al-Fari' bin Musayyib
at-Tamimi and Fazarah bin Murad al-'Awfi.

Nawfal bin Salim narrates from his grandfather, Ghuwaylim bin Hazim, who
was amongst those who accompanied Damis into the fort:

Some of us were killed and then the following were also killed: Mula'ib bin Miqdam
al-Hadrami j£> who was amongst those who were with Rasulullah ® at Hudaybiyah
and Tabuk; Murarah bin Rabi'ah al-'Amiri; and Hilal bin Umayyah the nephew of
Ka'b bin Malik <&> who had not joined Tabuk and then had verses of the Quran
revealed in his regard. Only twenty of us remained and the Romans ganged up
against us. They were more than 500, a veritable wall of iron. We had just given up
on life when Khalid &> and his army arrived and found us engaged in intense combat.
When they entered Khalid 4& shouted and the Romans turned away from us.

When we saw that our difficulty had been relieved we raised shouts of "Allahu
Akbar! Allahu Akbar!" and men like Dirar 4&> came and started striking the enemy
necks. When the Romans realised that they could not overcome the Muslims they
laid down their arms and begged for indemnity in Greek. The Muslims therefore also
ceased fighting.

448

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

39) Yuqanna's conversion

Abu 'Ubaydah d& then arrived with the rest of the army and they told him, "The
Romans request indemnity. The Muslims have refrained from killing them until you
give your decision."

"They have already stopped," he replied and ordered all the men and women to be
brought before him. When he presented them with Islam the first to accept was
Yuqanna and a group of his officers. Abu 'Ubaydah 4fr therefore returned their
wealth and property to them. He forgave the peasants and spared them from
execution or imprisonment. He extracted their promises to live as subjects of the
Muslims and to pay Jizyah and then expelled them from the fort.

The Muslims then took out such quantities of gold and vessels which could not be
counted. Abu 'Ubaydah took out the state's one-fifth share and divided the rest
amongst the Muslims. The people began to speak of Damis's plan and amazing feats.
They tended to his wounds until he recovered. Abu 'Ubaydah 4& granted him a
double share of the booty and then gathered all the seniors and elders of the Muslims
to consult them, "Allah to Whom belongs all praise has conquered this fort at the
hands of the Muslims and there now remains no such place which we fear. Will we
now attack Antioch which is the Imperial headquarters where all the princes stay with
Heraclius. What do you feel?"

40) Yuqanna's dream

Yuqanna then got up and spoke in fluent 'Arabic, "O commander, Allah, most
Blessed and High, has helped you people and granted you victory over your enemy.
This is only because your religion is the correct Din and the Straight Path and your
Prophet is he who is mentioned in the Bible. He is without doubt the one about whom
Christ had prophesied. He is the one who separates Truth from falsehood. He is the
noble orphan Prophet whose parents had died and so his grandfather and uncle
fostered him. Is this not so?"

Abu 'Ubaydah 4e> : Yes, he is our Prophet H, but, Yuqanna, your words puzzle me.
Only yesterday you were fighting us, intending to break our army and cut off our
fodder and today you speak such words. I had heard that you do not know a word of
'Arabic, so how did you memorise that speech?

Yuqanna : There is no deity besides Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
O commander, this affair amazes you?

449

Futuhushdm

Abu 'Ubaydah : Yes.

Yuqannd : O commander, know that last night I was worrying about you. You had
reached our fort and conquered our city whereas we had considered you to be the
weakest of all nations. I fell asleep with these thoughts on my mind. I then saw in my
dreams a man more handsome than the moon. His scent was sweeter than strong
musk and he was accompanied by some people. When I asked them about him they
replied, "This is Muhammad £&, the Messenger of Allah"

I said, "If he really is a prophet then let him ask his Lord to teach me 'Arabic."

He then pointed at me and said, "O Yuqanna, I am Muhammad about whom the
Messiah had prophesied. I am the Prophet after whom there will be no other prophet.
If you wish then declare that there is no deity besides Allah and that I, Muhammad,
am the Messenger of Allah."

I took his hands, kissed them and embraced Islam*. I then awoke with my mouth
smelling like strong musk and able to speak 'Arabic. I then went to the apartment of
my brother, Yflhanna, and opened his stock of books. In one book I found a
description of Muhammad and his story. Every detail matched and it was also stated
that the creation which hates him the most are the Jews. Is this true?

*(Then why did Yuqannd rally his men against Ddmis? It is possible that the narrator
meant an officer of Yuqannd and not the prince himself - and Allah knows best -
translator s note.)

Abu 'Ubaydah 4$» : Yes, the Jews were most intense against us until Allah granted us
victory against them. We captured their forts and killed their warriors.

41) Yuqanna's questions

Yuqannd : Amongst the descriptions that I read was that Allah had instructed the
Prophet with regard to his Companions, the Muslims, the orphans and the poor. Is
this true?

Abu 'Ubaydah : Yes, Allah instructed him with regard to his Companions,

And lower your wings of mercy to the Believers. [15:88]

450

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

As for orphans and poor, He says,

And Allah found you to be ddll so He guided you. He found

you poor and so He enriched you. So do not be angry with the

orphan. Do not drive the beggar away. [93:6-9]

Yuqanna : Why does Allah say,

And Allah found you to be ddll and so He guided you.

"Dall" means astray and he is in fact very noble in the Eyes of Allah?

Mu 'dth bin Jabal : Here it means "wandering" to get to Our Company, so we guided
you to it and made it easy for you to reach the Road of Manifestation. We made you
stand in the place of gaining Vision. We found you "lost" in the sea of searching,
sailing the ship of destruction so We guided you to the coast of Truth and brought
you into the shadow of Realities. This is so that your heart will dis-incline from those
other than Us and away from confusion in the abyss of your own desires and to draw
you to desiring the moment of Meeting and Reception. You had no direct knowledge
from Us or other information handed down to you. We revealed to you how to gain
Our pleasure and showed you the reality of Our decree.

O Yuqanna, do you not know that nothing is more fulfilling to a Believer than
knowledge, nothing is more profitable than tolerance, nothing is more valuable than
Din, no friend is more beautiful than intelligence, no companion is more evil than
ignorance, nothing is more esteemed than piety, nothing is more satisfying than
leaving base desires, no deed is better than pondering, no good is higher than
patience, no evil is worse than pride, no medicine is nicer than leniency, no disease
is more painful than stupidity, no messenger is more just than the truth, no guide is a
better advisor than honesty, no poverty is more low than greed, no wealth is more ill—

451

Futuhushdm

fortuned than hoarding, no life is superior then good health, no lifestyle is more
enjoyable than chastity, no worship is higher than humility, no ascetism is preferable
to contentment, no guard is more protecting than silence and no absent thing is closer
than death.

Yuqannd : La ilaha illallah! That is what I read in the books of my brother, Yuhanna.
These things are also mentioned in the Gospel and Torah.

He then fell into prostration, kissed the ground out of thanks and said, "All praise be
to Allah Who guided me to this Din. By Allah! He has anchored this Din in my heart
and I know it to be the Truth. I will now fight for Allah's sake just as I used to fight
in obedience to the Devil. By Allah! I will help this Din until I join my brother,
Yuhanna."

He then wept bitterly at what he had done to his brother.

Abu 'Ubaydah : Allali says with regard to the brothers of Yusuf,

i_» Jug

There is no blame on you today. May Allah forgive you. He is
the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. [12:92]

Your brother is in the highest stages of Jannah with the virgin damsels. As for you -
the moment you embraced Islam you became free of all sins just as the day your
mother gave birth to you.

Yuqanna continued weeping and said, "I make the Muslims my witnesses that every
Jihad I wage and every time I kill a disbeliever it should be recorded in my brother's
register of deeds. It is compulsory upon me to fight in the Path of AMh until I erase
my past misdeeds."

42) The next destination

Abu 'Ubaydah : O slave of Allah [Abdullah], * tell us where we should go now.

*(It is not specified if Yuqannd took the name of 'Abdullah or if he was merely being
called 'slave of Allah' out of respect - translator 's note)

452

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas

Yuqannd : O commander, the fort of 'Aziz is strong and impregnable. It is heavily
manned and has ample food and equipment. My paternal cousin, Darius son of
Jufannas, rules it. He is a strong, great warrior who is skilled in both spear and sword.
If you leave him alone and head for Antioch he will raid Aleppo and Qinsarin and
spread his evil.

Abu 'Ubaydah : O slave of Allah, Allah has spoken the truth through your tongue.
Do you have any strategy to propose?

Yuqannd : Yes, I will mount my horse accompanied by 100 Muslim horsemen which
you can give me. We will disguise ourselves as Romans and I will lead them. An
'Arab general will then follow us with light steeds. My 100 men will keep ahead of
them a distance of one Farsakh (5.5 km) as if we are fleeing from you and the 1,000
are in pursuit of us. When we reach ' Azaz we will shout out. No doubt its master,
Darius, will come out to meet us. If he questions me I will say that I was forced to
become a Muslim and then fled with the 'Arabs in pursuit of me. Once he hears that
he will take us into the fort. At that moment the 1,000 should be waiting at a nearby
village. Once half the night has passed we will go to the centre of the fort and attack
our enemies. By the time of Salatul Fajr the 1,000 should come to our aid.

Abu 'Ubaydah's * face lit up and he asked Khalid * and Mu'ath * about the plan.
They said, "O Trusted One of the Ummah, it is a good plan if this man does not
betray us and return to his old religion."

Abu 'Ubaydah :

Verily your Rabb is awaiting in ambush. [89:14]

Yuqannd : By Allah! I have completely left my religion for your Din after I used to
venerate icons and crosses. Now nothing remains in my heart except love for Allah,
Muhammad & the chief of the descendants of ' Adnan and Jihad on behalf of the best
of all faiths. Allah is witness to what I say. My words are as true as "There is no deity
besides Allah," and as true as "Muhammad is His Slave and Mesenger" (whom I had
seen in my dream). If you suspect me to be the opposite of what I claim then do not
let me do this.

Abu 'Ubaydah : O slave of Allah, if you wish the Muslims well and will not betray
them then Allah will help every endeavour which is for His sake. So follow honesty

453

Futuhushdm *

and you will attain success, for our Din is based on honesty. Follow the ways of your
believing brothers. A truthful Believer is content with whatever little food he gets, is
content with clothing which is enough to cover his private parts and is content with
whatever his home is. So you should not be saddened at the loss of your rule because
He Whom you seek is Eternal. The luxuries of this world are finite while the
Hereafter is best and eternal. Today you are free from polytheism and bear in mind
that that the world is a prison for the Believer and a paradise for the Disbeliever. The
Believer has conviction that the grave is his bed, solitude is his gathering, taking
lesson is his thoughts, the Quran is his speech, the Rabb is his friend, remembrance
of Allah is his companion, ascetism is his associate, grief is mark, modesty is his
badge, hunger is his gravy, wisdom is his conversation, the ground is his carpet, piety
is his provision, silence is his booty, patience is his reliance, trusting Allah is
sufficient for him, intelligence is his guide, worship is his occupation and Paradise is
his abode. O Yuqanna, the Messiah has said, "I am amazed at he who spends his
night without thinking of Allah whereas He remembers him, at the hankerer of the
world whereas death hankers after him, at the builder of palaces whereas the grave
is his home."

Our Prophet 'M> has said, "There are four such things that if they are given to someone
he is given another four things."

The Book of Allah explains what these things are.

Whoever is given the blessing of remembering Allah is in turn
remembered by Allah, for He says,

4. 4? i

Remember Me and I will remember you. [2:152]

Whoever is granted the ability to make du'a is granted acceptance, for
Allah Most High says,

Call unto Me and I will respond. [40:60]
Whoever is granted gratitude is given an increase in that bounty for

454

Part 4: Baytul Muqaddas
which he is grateful for. AllSh Most High says,

If you are grateful unto me I will grant you an increase. [14:7]

Finally, whoever is granted guidance to repent is forgiven. Allah Most
High says,

Repent unto your Rabbfor he is Most Forgiving. [71:10]

'Amir bin Qubaysah al-Yashkuri narrates from Yunus bin 'Abdil A'la to whom
it was read out that Shahr bin Hawshab narrated from his grandfather, 'Amu-
bin Zayd:

I participated with Abu 'Ubaydah 4k in the conquests of Qinsarin and Aleppo and
spent a lot of time with those Romans who entered our Din. I did not see any among
them more hardworking, more sincere in his belief, more ambitious in his intentions,
more striving in Jihad and more vigorous in battle against the Romans than Yuqanna.
By Allah! He was well-meaning towards the Muslims, waged Jihad against the
Disbelievers and pleased the Rabb of the Worlds. He achieved such feats against the
Romans which no-one else of his nationality could do and this was after the Muslims
had suffered much at his hands at the Aleppo fort. He had not allowed the Muslims
to sleep. He had not spared them day or night and many suffered martyrdom due to
him - may Allah be pleased with them all.

455

(Parts

Antiocfi

Part 5: Antioch

Contents

1 . The 'Azaz expedition

2. Yuqanna is captured

3. Darius 's son embraces Islam

4. Conquest of 'Azaz

5. Luke embraces Islam

6. Conversion of 'Azaz

7. Yuqanna is appointed governor of Antioch

8. Yuqanna's men reach Antioch

9. Heraclius's daughter

10. Abu 'Ubaydah 4» writes to 'Umar <$>

1 1 . Dirar <& is captured

12. Safinah 4& and the lion

13. The Sahabah 4> are brought before Heraclius

14. The revelations of Rasulullah S

1 5 . Description of Rasulullah S

16. Dirar ^b and the Patriarch

17. Muslims reach Iron Bridge

18. The great Romans and 'Arabs

19. The Patriarch becomes philosophical

20. 'Amir becomes a Christian

2 1 . The fall of Iron Bridge

22. Another assassination attempt on 'Umar <&>

23. Damis is captured

459

Futuftushdm

24. Damis escapes

25. The prophecies of Great Rumiyah

26. Falantius comes to Antioch

27. Falantius invites his people to embrace Islam

28. Falantius goes to embrace Islam

29. Rasulullah predicts the fall of Antioch

30. The Battle of Antioch

3 1 . Victory

32. The conquest of Antioch

33. 'Umar's <&> instructions

34. Do we cross the mountain-passes?

35. Beyond the mountains

36. The Roman army

37. The Battle of the Meadow of Tribes

38. Damis is captured and freed

39. Romans are reinforced

40. Capture of 'Abdullah bin Huthafah *>

4 1 . The Romans sneak off

42. 'Abdullah & and Heraclius

43. Accidental drinking bout

44. Everything glorifies Allah

45. Constantine sends for an envoy

46. 'Amr & and Constantine

47. 'Amr <& invites the Romans to Islam

48. The Battle

460

Part 5: Antioch

49. My reliance upon Allah is stronger than your iron

50. We will meet at the pond of Rasulullah S

51. Repentance of Tulayhah

52. History of Tulayhah

53. Constatine flees

54. Yuqanna's ambush

55. Conquest of Tripoli

56. Yuqanna is betrayed

57. Basil and Rasulullah S
5 8 . Conquest of Tyre

59. Conquest of Caesarea

461

Part 5

Antioch

1) The Azaz expedition

After Abu Ubaydah 4* had finished advising Yuqanna, he gave him 100 cavalry, all
disguised as Romans. They were ten each from ten tribes viz: Jay, Fihr, Khuza'ah,
Shanis, Nimyar, Hadxamawt, Himyar, Bahilah, Tamim and Murad. Each group had
its own leader: Khaz'al bin al-'Asim over Tay; Fihr bin Muzahim over Fihr; Salim
bin 'Adi over Khuza'ah; Masriiq bin Sinan over Shanis; Asad bin Hazin over
Nimyar; Majid bin 'Umayrah over Hadramawt; Thul Kala' al-JJimyari, the king of
the Himyar over his tribe; Sayf bin Qadih over Bahilah; Sa'd bin Hasan over Tamim;
and Malik bin Fayyad over Murad.

When their ranks were completed Abu 'Ubaydah 4b said, "May Allah have mercy on
you. I am sending you with this man who has gifted his life to Allah and His Rasul
Sfo. Each group will have its own sub-commander. I have appointed him over you, so
listen and obey him for as long as Allah pleases."

They dressed, mounted and left with Yuqanna. Once they were at a distance of one
Farsakh (5.5 km) Abu 'Ubaydah 4b sent 1,000 horsemen after them under the
command of Malik bin al-Ashtar an-Nakh'i. He said to Malik, "Go behind them and
see what transpires with this pious slave. When you get close to the fort hide until
just before dawn and then go to the aid of your brothers. Go, may Allah guide you."

Malik & then led his troops and journeyed for the rest of the day. At night they hid
in an uninhabited village, close to the fort. As for Yuqanna, he headed for the fort on
a different road.

Sulayman bin 'Abdillah al-Yashkuri narrates from ash-Shadid bin Mazin who
narrates from his grandfather, Khaz'al bin 'Asim:

I was amongst the horsemen Abu 'Ubaydah * had despatched with Yuqanna. When
we saw 'Azaz, Yuqanna said to us, "O 'Arab youth, we have reached the enemy, so

463

Futuhushdm

do not speak because your language will reveal you to the Romans. I will translate
for you. Be alert. When you see me attacking the master of the fort attack in the name
of Allah Most High."

They then went on ahead, Yuqanna not knowing what had been destined for him.

Sulayman bin 'Abdillah al-Yashkuri narrates from 'Abdurahman al-
Mazini (who is one of those who wrote on the conquest of Syria) who narrates
from al-Akwa' bin 'Abbad al-Mazinf:

I was with Malik al-Ashtar &> amongst the 1,000 following Yuqanna. When we
reached the village we stayed there, awaiting morning. Suddenly we saw an army
coming from the western side of the village. Malik & left us and returned in a short
while with a Christian 'Arab prisoner and said to us, "O youth, listen to what he
says."

Muslims : What does he say?

Malik & : Question him, he will answer you.

Muslims : From which people are you?

Tdriq : From Ghassan, Jabalah bin al-Ayham's tribe.

Muslims : What is your name?

Tdriq : Tariq bin Shayban.

Malik & : O Tariq, in the name of 'Arab mutual responsibility do not hide anything
from us which you know about our enemy.

Tdriq : By God! I will not hide anything I know. Protect yourselves before your
enemy arrives.

Malik <fc : How is that?

Tdriq : Last night our spy, 'Ismah bin 'Afrajah, came to us from you. He had heard
Yuqanna's entire plot against the master of 'Azaz. He wrote it out on a piece of cloth
which he folded and tied to a bird and sent to 'Azaz. When the governor read it he
sent me to the governor of ar-Rawindat, Luke son of Shas, requesting reinforcements
against you. I took the message to him and he is now practically here with 500
cavalry, so get ready.

464

Part 5: Antioch

2) Yuqanna is captured

As for Yuqann§, he reached the fort to find the enemy prepared and waiting outside.
The accursed Darius had with him 3,000 Roman cavalry, 1,000 Christian 'Arab
cavalry and the refugees from the countryside. When Yuqanna came, he did not let
him suspect anything. He came walking to welcome him and pretended to kiss his
bridle. Then using an extremely sharp knife which he had been hiding in his hand he
cut Yuqanna's horse's band and pulled him down. When Yuqanna fell down on his
head he released the 4,000 cavalry against the Sahabah &, giving them no respite.
They were all captured and tied up.

Darius spat in Yuqanna's face and said, "Christ and the Cross became angry at you
when you deserted your religion and entered the religion of your enemies. By Christ!
After I behead all the 'Arabs I will definitely send you to merciful Caesar to crucify
you at the gate of Antioch."

He then took them all into the fort.

It was purely Allah's favour to the Muslims that the spy did not write to Darius about
Malik al-Ashtar 4&. Malik * alerted his men and tied up the Christian. They then
waited in ambush for the arrival of the governor of ar-Rawindat. When much of the
night had passed they heard the pounding of hooves. Malik said nothing. When the
enemy reached the middle of the ambush point they sprang at them, two Muslims
grabbing one Christian. Not a single one escaped. The Muslims dressed in their
clothes and raised their cross in front of them.

Malik 4fe turned to Tariq and said, "Will you accept the Din of Allah and His Prophet
Muhammad? Belief will wipe out your past disbelief and you will be our brother."

Tariq : My heart is already with you. May Allah not deal well with that man who took
us away from Islam. I am of that group who embraced Islam with Jabalah at the
hands of 'Umar. We have heard that Muhammad had said, "Kill him who changes his
religion."

Malik 4& : You have spoken the truth, but that is cancelled by reciting, "La ilaha
illallah," because Allah says,

465

Futuhushdm

...Except those who repent and perform righteous deeds. Those
people will have Allah change their evil into good. [25: 70]

Rasulullah & accepted the repentance of Wahshi, the killer of his uncle, Hamzah •&,
then Allah revealed certain verses.

Tdriq (happy) : Then I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah and that
Muhammad is His Slave and Messenger. O Malik, my broken heart has been healed.
May Allah take you by the hand and save you on the day of Judgement.

Malik 4b (rejoicing) : May Allah guide you and keep your faith firm. O slave of
Allah, I wish you to do something that will make up for your past.

Tdriq: What do you wish?

Malik & : Go and tell Darius of Luke's coming.

Tariq : I will do that if Allah Most High wills. If you are suspicious about me then
send with me someone you rely upon to hear what I say. Half the night has already
passed so security is heavy and the gates are locked. I will therefore have to shout
from the edge of the ditch.

3) Darius's son embraces Islam

Malik sent his paternal cousin, Rashid bin Muqbis, with him and ordered him to
remain alert. They left for the fort and found it to be heavily guarded. The Romans
were striking their gongs and were raising a commotion at the centre of the fort. Tariq
then said to Rashid, "This is certainly a battle."

They both kept silent and found it to be as Tariq had said.

The cause of the battle was that Darius's son, Lawan, who was a brave youth, had
been sent by his father with presents for Yuqanna due to their common relationship.
He had remained with Yuqanna for several months, living in opulent quarters. On
Good Friday he entered the cathedral which is today the Jami' Masjid and saw

466

Part 5: Antioch

Yuqanna's daughter who was surrounded by her slave-girls, attendants and
splendour. He fell in love with her but kept his passion secret.

He returned to 'Azaz where he complained to his mother about being in love with
Yuqanna's daughter. She loved him deeply because he was Darius's only son* and
said, "I will speak to your father about this and tell him to send a proposal for her to
her father. Yuqanna will give her to you in marriage and give you whatever wealth
you desire."

*(Darius definitely had other sons. Perhaps what is meant here is that Lawan is his
only son from her - translator's note)

All the while Lawan remained hopelessly in love with her. It was at that time that
they had to pay attention to the 'Arab invasion.

When Darius captured Yuqanna and the 100 Muslims, he imprisoned them in his
son's quarters and ordered him to guard them. Lawan thought, "By my faith! Our
cousin, Yuqanna has more religious knowledge than my father. If he did not accept
that the 'Arabs are on the truth he would never have followed them after fighting
them so fiercely. Also, Caesar's armies could never match them, God helped them
despite them being so weak. My heart is still attached to his daughter. I will go and
untie the Muslims and enter their religion after my cousin promises to give me his
daughter in marriage. He is certainly on the Truth and I will get what I want and
marry her."

He then went to Yuqanna, sat before him and said, "O uncle, I have decided to set
you and your men free. I prefer you to my father, my family and my realm. You know
that to leave one's family is very hard, but I choose faith over disbelief because I
know their religion to be correct. However, I stipulate that you marry your daughter
to me; the dowry I offer is that I will free you and your men."

Yuqanna : O son, there is no way that you will marry my daughter if your conversion
is for worldly reasons. If however you are sincere then Allah will reward you and will
grant you your request. You will attain honour in this world and the next.

Lawan : I sincerely testify that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allah.

He then untied the Muslims, gave them weapons and said to them, "Be ready. I am
going to my father who is drunk with wine. I will kill him and then you can attack
with Allah's blessings and for His pleasure."

467

Futuhusham

Yuqanna then said to his 100 men, "Be witness that I give my daughter to him in
marriage and his freeing us is the dowry."

4) Conquest of 'Azaz

Lawan went to his father to find him already beheaded and surrounded by his
brothers.

(One text mentions 'sisters ' but this is refuted in section 6 - translator 's note)

Lawan : Who did this to my father?

Brothers : We.

Lawan : Why?

Brothers : We did it for Allah's pleasure. We heard what you said to Yuqanna and his
men and feared that your plan would not succeed and then they would join forces
against your men. Our father would find out and kill you. We therefore attacked him
before you.

Lawan was happy at this and returned to inform the Muslims. They started
celebrating from his quarters all the way as they moved to the fort's centre. They
raised their voiced with, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" and recited salutations
upon Rasulullah ®. They slew any Romans they encountered on the way. The noise
continued in this manner and the Romans rushed to combat the Muslims. It was at
that moment that Tariq and his companion arrived.

TSriq narrates:

We heard a clamour and therefore returned to Malik <& to inform him of what we had
heard. Malik 4* then commanded his men, "Mount your horses to go to your
companions."

They all mounted except for 100 who remained behind to guard the prisoners.

As the Muslims neared 'Azaz, Yuqanna said to Lawan, "Reinforcements from the
Muslims are supposed to arrive." Lawan went and saw that they had already arrived
and opened a secret gate for them. As Malik's * men captured the fort they
proclaimed, "Allahu Akbar! Allah has conquered. The Disbelievers have been ,
defeated."

468

Part 5: Antioch

The Romans then threw down their weapons and begged for immunity. The Muslims
therefore stopped fighting and took them all prisoner.

When Malik 4* thanked Yuqanna and his men, Yuqanna told him about Lawan.
Malik 4* replied, "When Allah desires something He creates the means for its
fulfilment."

Qays bin 'Uqbah narrates from SafwSn who narrates from 'Amr 4*> bin
'Abdirrahm&n who narrates from Jubayr who narrates from his father:

I asked Abu Lubabah bin al-Munthir 4* about the conquest of 'Azaz and the murder
of Darius. I did not know the story and wanted the correct version. He said:

After the battle Malik 4*> gathered the prisoners, booty, robes, gold, silver and vessels.
He ordered these to be taken out of the fort and appointed Qays bin Sa'd & over the
fort. Like me, Qays 4* had lost an eye at al-Yarmuk and both of us had participated
in the Battle of Badr with Rasulullah ®. Absolutely everything was taken out of
'Azaz. Malik & walked around 'Azaz, looking for Darius and found him dead.

Malik 4* : Who killed this accursed man?

Lawan : My elder brother, Luke.

5) Luke embraces Islam

Malik 4* called for Luke and said, "How can you kill your own father? We have
never heard of any Roman besides you killing his father."

Luke : I did it out of love for your religion. There is in the chapel of this fort an
ancient priest. We studied the Gospel and Roman sciences under him. One day when
the two of us were alone in the chapel I said to him, "O Abu al-Munthir, do you not
see how the 'Arabs have conquered most of Syria and have defeated the armies of
Caesar? We never thought that they would be capable of that because there is no
nation weaker than them. God helped them despite their weakness. Have you read
anything about this in the Roman books and prophecies or the Greek prophecies?"

"O my son," he replied, "Yes, I have read about it. In fact, we had already informed
Caesar before these things started happening. He gathered all the patricians, princes,
bishops etc. and told them that the 'Arabs would certainly rule the land beneath his
throne. We have also been informed that their Prophet said - The Earth was folded

469

Futuhushdm

up for me and I saw its East and West. Soon the Empire of my Ummah will conquer
all that was folded up for me."

I asked, "O father, what do you say about their prophet?"

He replied, "O my son, it is written in our scriptures that God will send a prophet in
al-Hijaz and Christ, Jesus son of Mary, had prophesied about him. However, we do
not know if this is him or not."

I then realised that he was withholding information from me, fearing that I would
expose him. When I saw Yuqanna and his men captured I said to myself, "Yuqanna
killed his brother, Yuhanna, and had resisted the 'Arabs. Now the same man
embraces their religion. This can only be because he recognises them to be on the
Truth. Now go and kill your father, free Yuqanna and his men and enter their religion
for without doubt it is the true one." Then when my father fell asleep in a drunken
stupor I killed him and went to free Yuqanna, but found that Lawan had overtaken
me.

(This would mean that the other brothers overheard Lawan speaking to Yuqanna.
Luke might have been the actual killer while the others were accomplices. When he
went to free the Muslims they were already freed '- translator's note)

Malik 4b ■ O boy, why did you do this?

Luke : Out of love for your religion. I bear witness that there is no deity besides Allah
and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Malik 4t : May Allah accept and guide you.

Malik 4b then left 'Azaz, leaving Sa'id bin 'Amir in charge of Yuqanna's 100. The
men of ar-Rawindat were brought before him and he offered them Islam. When they
refused he had them beheaded.

6) Conversion of 'Azaz

'Abdul Malik bin Muhammad narrates from Hassan bin Ka'b who narrates
from 'Abdul W&hid who narrates the conquest of 'Azaz as has been mentioned
from 'Abdullah bin Qurt al-Azdf *:

As for those who say that Darius was killed by his wife and daughters, their report is
wrong - and Allah knows best.

470

Part 5: Antioch

When Malik &> intended departing, the prisoners were brought before him. They
were 1,000 youths, 2,000 women and girls, 245 elders and monks and 180 elderly
people. He noticed an old man whose appearance inspired awe and said, "If my
insight is correct, then this is the priest about whom Luke and Lawan informed me."

He called the two brothers and asked, "Is this the priest about whom Luke spoke?"

Luke : Yes.

Malik * : Old man, you are a scholar of the scriptures, so how can you conceal the
truth from those who are entitled to it?

Priest : By God! I never concealed the truth from those who are entitled to it. I feared
that the Romans would kill me because the truth is heavy. My brothers and sons had
already been killed for the sake of truth so I feared what would happen to me.

Malik <&, : Will you enter our Din?

Priest : I first want to question you about certain matters which I have read in the
Gospel.

Malik 4» : Certainly.

As the priest was about to speak the fort was suddenly filled with screams which
terrified the people. Malik & jumped to see what was happening, thinking that the
Romans had betrayed him. He met a group of Muslims who said, "O commander, get
ready. We see dust rising from the Manbij and Baza' ah road and do not know what
it is."

Malik 4e and his men mounted, waiting for whoever was coming. When they arrived
they appeared to be Muslim cavalry with prisoners and booty followed by 1,000
more Muslim horsemen. They were a raiding expedition Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe had sent
under al-Fadl bin al-'Abbas 4t>- They had raided Manbij, al-Bab and Baza'ah and had
gained much booty. After salam, al-Fadl &> asked Malik «fc his story, so he told him
that Allah had conquered 'Azaz and degraded her people. He narrated Yuqanna's
story and said, "I cannot leave until I question this priest."

Al-Fadl <& : O priest, say what you have to say.

Priest : Tell me what did God create before the Heavens and Earth?

Al-Fadl i& : First He created the Tablet and the Pen. It is also said, "the Throne and
the Seat," or "Time and Era," or "Numbers and Calculation." It is said that he first

471

Futuhushdm

created a jewel. He looked at it and then it became water. He then created His Throne
as a sapphire above the water. He gazed at the water which stirred and thundered.
Vapour arose from which Allah created the sky and then the Earth. It is said that He
first created Intelligence so that the creation may benefit from it. It is also said that
the first creation was Light and Darkness and He demanded that they confess to His
divinity. The Darkness refused while Light obeyed. So He created Paradise from the
Light because he was pleased with it and created Hell from the Darkness because He
was angry at it. He created the blessed souls from the Light and the wretched souls
from the Darkness. Everyone returns to his real abode. It is said that He first created
a dot. Through His awesome Gaze it dissolved and became the letter alif with which
He began His Honourable Book. Pure is He Who made his Book from a single dot.
He made the creation from a single dot and gives death by taking their souls and will
revive them through the blowing of the Trumpet.

Priest : I testify that there is no deity besides AllSh and that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah. This is knowledge which only the Prophets of Allah possessed.

Seeing this, all the people of 'Azaz embraced Islam except for a handful.

7) Yuqanna is appointed governor of Antioch

'Amir bin Yahya narrates from Asad bin Muslim who narrates from Darim bin
'Ayyash who narrates from his grandfather:

The people of 'Azaz embraced Islam because the priest whom they trusted had
embraced Islam. Malik * and al-Fadl & then returned to Aleppo. Yuqanna then said,
"By Allah! How can I show my face to the Muslims when my plan was unsuccessful?
I will now go to Antioch. Perhaps Allah will grant me victory."

Al-Fadl & : Allah Most High said to his Prophet S,

You have no say in the matter. [3:128]
So you should not fill your heart with grief.

472

Part 5: Antioch

Yuqannd : I swear that I will not return until Allah whitens my face so that I can face
my Muslim brothers again.

Yuqanna was accompanied by 200 of his tribesmen who now had firm faith and
whose families were still in Aleppo. He led them to Antioch. As they neared the city
he selected four of them and ordered the rest to come to him after four days. The five
of them would take the Harim road as if they were fleeing from the 'Arabs according
to a plan by Yuqanna. The rest would take the Amah road. Yuqanna said, "We will
meet in Antioch."

The two parties went their separate ways. Yuqanna rode on until he reached the
monastery of Sam'an which overlooks the sea. At Sam'an there were horsemen and
footmen guarding the roads. When the Romans saw the Muslims they went to
question them. Yuqanna said, "I am the prince of Aleppo. I am fleeing from the
'Arabs."

The police chief then ordered them to be taken to Heraclius.

They arrived at Antioch to find Heraclius praying in the Cathedral of Youth. When
he finished the police brought the five Muslims to him and said, "O Caesar, Peter, the
chief of police is at Sam'an Monastery. He sent this man, who claims to be the prince
of Aleppo, together with these four."

Heraclius : O Yuqanna, why have you come here? I have heard that you entered the
religion of the 'Arabs.

Yuqannd : O Caesar, you have heard correctly. However, I only did that so that I
could escape their oppression, their ugly sight and their horrid stench. I said to them,
"I will bring 'Azaz and its governor into your hands." I then went with 100 of their
chiefs and told them to send 1,000 after me. I secretly intended that once they had
entered the fort I would capture them and hand them over to you. However, Darius
jumped to conclusions against me and did not understand my secret. He believed
what his spy told him and disbelieved me. He therefore imprisoned us. The 'Arabs
arrived and managed to kill the people because Luke had killed his father and freed
the 'Arabs and myself. During the fight these four men and I escaped and fled to you.
If I had no love for my faith would I have killed my brother, Yuhanna, and persevered
against the 'Arab siege for a full year?

The patricians and princes who were present backed him and said, "O Caesar,
Yuqanna is truthful. His deeds and bravery will soon become apparent to you."

473

Futuhushdm

Heraclius's face brightened. He gave Yuqanna the robe he was wearing, a belt and a
crown and said, "If Aleppo has been taken from you then I now appoint you the Lord-
Governor of Antioch."

8) Yuqanna's men reach Antioch

While Yuqanna was thanking Heraclius the commandant of Iron Bridge came and
said that 200 Aleppan horsemen had arrived at Iron Bridge. They claimed to be
Romans of Yuqanna's clan who were fleeing from the 'Arabs.

Heraclius : O Lord-Governor, ride off and investigate these people. If they really are
your friends welcome them and take them as your personal army. If they are not, then
bring them here so that I can see for myself. Be careful that they are not acting on
behalf of the 'Arabs, that they are not converts to Islam from Sayjar, Hamah, ar-
Rastan, Jusiyah, Ba'labakk, Damascus or Hawran.

Yuqanna : Yes Caesar.

He then mounted and left accompanied by courtiers and aristocrats. When they
reached Iron Bridge Yuqanna ordered the chief of police to bring the 200. Upon
seeing them he welcomed them. They in turn upon seeing all the pomp which Caesar
had given him, walked to him and kissed his bridle.

Yuqanna : How did you manage to escape the 'Arabs?

Aleppans : O sir, we went out riding with an 'Arab leader at Manbij and Baza'ah. On
the way back to Aleppo we headed for 'Azaz but found it to be in 'Arab hands. At
night we escaped and came here.

The Romans had been listening and went to inform Caesar. When Yuqanna brought
them to the Imperial court Caesar granted each of them robes and welcomed them.
He ordered them to serve Yuqanna to whom he gave a house facing his palace.

Yuqanna : O Caesar, you know that this abode's pleasure will not last forever. Lord
Christ compared it to carrion and its hankerers to dogs drawn to it. It is narrated that
he saw a bird, beautiful in every aspect. After skinning it he found it to be the ugliest
thing possible. He asked, "Who are you?"

"The world," it replied, "My outside is beautiful and my inside is ugly."

I have explained this example to you, O Caesar, so that you may know that the human
body is not empty of jealousy. As soon as the world comes to someone then those

474

Part 5: Antioch

who are envious against him increase in number. I fear that they will speak to Caesar
and wrongfully slander me. If Caesar should turn away from me and grant this post
to someone else then I will still remain his loyal follower.

He then began to weep.

Heraclius : O Lord-Governor, I have not given you this post except in complete
confidence. I will hand over to you whoever speaks against you so that you may do
with him as you please.

9) Heraclius's daughter

Yuqanna thanked him and requested permission to attend to his new duties when the
postal horses arrived with messengers from Caesar's daughter, Olivia, who was at
Mar'ash. They said, "She fears the 'Arabs and wants to come to you until you can
find a solution. She requests you to send an army to bring her to you."

Heraclius : There is nobody else for such a job except the Lord-Governor, Yuqanna.

Yuqanna kissed the ground and said, "To hear and obey your word. . ."

Heraclius then gave him 1,000 men and 200 of his elite troops.

Yuqanna led the 1,200 and raised a cross which was covered in soft gold above his
head. They travelled hard until they reached Olivia at Mar'ash. She was Heraclius's
youngest daughter and he had appointed her over that region. He had her married to
Banaster son of Haris. The people called him 'The sword of Christianity' due to his
bravery, but he had died of his wounds at al-Yarmuk.

Yuqanna took Olivia on the main highway back to Antioch. He hoped to meet a
Muslim spy or an allied Christian so that he could inform Abu 'Ubaydah & that he
had achieved a station with Heraclius in the Roman Empire. When they reached
Brocade Meadow at night, the scouts returned. They were frightened.

Yuqanna : What is wrong?

Scouts : O Lord-Governor! There is an army camped here. When we approached
them we found them to be 'Arabs who were all sleeping. We have no doubt that they
are Muslims.

Yuqanna : Be prepared and on alert. Defend your religion and strive against your
enemy. Fight for the sake of Caesar's daughter. Do not let her fall into enemy hands.

475

Futuhusham

Be the best army which fights in gratitude to its master's favours. Once the battle
begins, capture them and beware of killing any of them. Know that the 'Arabs are
certainly heading towards Caesar and his companions. If any Roman is captured we
can secure his release by exchanging the prisoners for him. I have read in the books
of Herfanius, the sage, "He who looks at the end result remains safe. He who has a
task should take due precaution. He who is treacherous will be betrayed himself."
Now go with God's blessing.

They slackened their reins and aimed their spears, heading for the 'Arabs. When the
other party heard them coming they came out proclaiming the names of Jesus, son of
Mary, and the Honoured Cross.

'Arabs : Who are you?

Yuqannd : No, who are you?

'Arabs : We are the men of Jabalah bin al-Ayham.

Yuqanna then dismounted to greet them and they greeted back.

Jabalah : Where do you come from?

Yuqannd : From Mar'ash. I have Caesar's daughter with me, and from where are you
coming?

Jabalah : From al-'Amq. We had taken their food supplies to them. On the way back
we came across 200 horsemen at Marj Dabiq, all of them fully armed. When we
approached them they fiercely attacked us, their leader being a most violent man. He
killed many of my men, whereas we were 2,000 and they only 200. He burned like
a fire amongst us, but after continuous fighting we managed to capture them all.
However, each one of them managed to kill one to three of us. The last one of them
<to remain was their leader. We shot arrows at his horse until we killed it. We then
charged at him and captured him. It turns out that he is one of Muhammad's
companions, Dirar bin al-Azwar. We are now taking them to Caesar to hear his
decision.

Yucjanna pretended to be delighted and said, "I swear by my faith! You have
accomplished a proud feat in capturing them, especially this boy. I have heard what
he did to the heroes of Syria and the horsemen of Rome."

The two parties then went together to Antioch.

476

Part 5: Antioch

10) Abu 'Ubaydah £> writes to 'Umar £>

Ash-Sharid bin al-'Ashn narrates from Shirwan bin Mujazzil who narrates
from Qadim bin Bishr who narrates from Zaidah bin Ma'mar who narrates
from Bashshar who narrates from 'Awf who narrate from §alih who narrates
from 'Abdullah who narrates from his grandfather, Masruq, and in another
chain of narrators - ' Abbad bin As_im narrates from 'Imran bin Husayn &:

The Muslims had conquered 'Azaz and Malik al-Ashtar 4& had left Sa'id bin 'Amr
al-Ghanawi in charge and then met al-Fadl bin al-'Abb&s <&■ The two then returned
to Aleppo where Abu 'Ubaydah 4» rejoiced at the safety of the Muslims and the
conquest of 'Azaz. When he asked Malik about Yuqanna, Malik 4& replied that they
had a secret agreement between them for Yuqanna to go to Antioch to be in the
presence of the dog of Rome because he felt ashamed to return to Abu 'Ubaydah 4&.
Abu 'Ubaydah & exclaimed, "May Allah help him, grant him victory and forgive
him. He has shown us incomparable deeds."

He then wrote to 'Umar 4&:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : Abu 'Ubaydah <&> 'Amir bin al-Jarrdh

To : Commander of the Believers, 'Umar bin al-Khattqb

Saldm 'alayka

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity and I convey
salutations upon His Prophet Muhammad.

All Muslims should praise Allah for blessing us with the
conquest of the castles and forts of Disbelief . He has lowered
their kings before us and granted us their lands and homes. Now
He Who is Most Pure has conquered for us the fort of Aleppo
followed by the 'Azaz Fort.

Prince Yuqanna of Aleppo embraced Islam and is a good
Muslim who has become a helper of the Muslims against the

All

Futuhushdm

Disbelievers. This is after we had suffered much at his hands
and Allah is well aware of that. May Allah reward him well now
because Allah has helped the Din through him. He is a well-
wisher of the Muslims and destroys the Disbelievers.

He has now entered Antioch in a conspiracy against the dog of
Rome. He has virtually cast himself into destruction for the sake
of Allah and His Rasul ®.

At the time of writing this letter, we had already decided to
march on Antioch and get the despot of Rome because there
remains no other nearby fort besides Antioch which is in enemy
hands. We hope to capture Heraclius, his throne and his
treasures just as Rasululldh H had promised us. So strengthen
us with your du 'a because it is the weapon of the Believers and
the destruction of the Disbelievers.

Peace and Allah's mercy and blessings be upon you and all the
Muslims with you.

He then took out the state's one-fifth share of the booty and handed it over to Ribah
bin Ghanim al-Yashkuri. He gave him 200 horsemen, including Salamah bin al-
Akwa', Qatadah bin 'Amr, 'Abdullah bin Bashshar, Jabir bin 'Abdillah and other
such men upon whom be Allah's pleasure. They took the one-fifth share and set off.

11) DirSr 4&> is captured

Abu 'Ubaydah * then sent 200 cavalry under Dirar * on a raiding expedition.
Amongst them was Safinah 4t, the freed slave of Rasulullah SI. They left with allied
Christian guides until they reached Marj D&biq at dawn. One of the Christians then
said, "Have mercy on your horses."

They dismounted and rested their horses for the rest of the day and night and before
they knew it, Jabalah had arrived at dawn. As the shouting rose Dirar <$, and about
100 men mounted. The rest could not mount due to the attacks of the Christians and
so they had to fight on foot while their horses fled. Each footman managed to kill his
foe, but they joined forces on them and took the 100 footmen prisoner.

478

Part 5: Antioch

Dirar * called out to the remaining 100, "O 'Arab youth, the enemy attacked you
when your guard was down. They are 'Arabs just like you and this (time of battle) is
the best moment in the Eyes of Allah. Be firm and do not be weak-hearted. You know
that your Prophet has said that Jannah lies under the shadow of swords. Allah Most
High has said,

How many a small group have overcome a large force with
Allah's leave? And Allah is with the patient ones. [2:249]

Maysarah bin 'Amir narrates:

Rabi'ah bin Ma'mar bin Abi 'Awf was with us at Marj Dabiq. He was highly
eloquent and did not speak except in rhyming speech. He arranged his words
beautifully. We would listen to his rhymes and memorise them. When he heard Dirar
& encouraging us he said, "O 'Arab youth, you will never attain Jannah except
through being patient in adversity. Allah will not enter into it anyone who hates Jihad.
Allah has a Jannah in the skies but it is surrounded by hateful things. The highest
rank is that of martyrdom. So please the Knower of the seen and the unseen. This
Jihad has reached its peak and hypocrisy has been uprooted. Are you not the Sahabah
of the Prophet of this era? Why have you become despondent about reward and help?
Gladden the soul of the Chosen Prophet through steadfastness. Strengthen your
resolve through pure intentions. Beware of deserting for you will then incur the wrath
of the Great King. Help and steadfastness are two victorious armies. He who seeks
the eternal abode regards the enemy as nothing. Rectify your desires and you will
attain your Rabb's mercy. Be firm in your attack and you will attain your desire.
Spear their throats and you will attain the women of Jannah and reside in palaces.
Aim your spears at them and you will attain Jannah. Place your reliance on patience
and you will attain victory. Beware of becoming like the Disbelievers. Avoid their
path. The One Who knows their conditions and actions has said:

479

Futuhushdm

(j J» g ; a liV- 'Jl Q*u* I ' yi II l_yL»-Pj ^5sjw4 ljjw«U (jdJJI <Udl JLPj

-tt ' r ' f i ' ^ Iff

yl//a/z //as promised those of you who believe and practise

pious acts that He will grant them sovereignty over the Earth

just as he granted it to those before them. [24:55]

Samurah bin Ghanim narrates:

By Allah! He amazed us with his words. We attacked while Dirar <& recited:

Attack the liars who are low,

Let your swords their blood show.

Defend the greatest Din in all the cosmos,

Please the Lord of the Throne, Most Generous.

Whoever seeks freedom from the Fire,

On Judgement Day and fulfilment of desire

Let him attack like lions today

And please the Messenger who never a lie did say.

Dirar & attacked with us in the rear offering our lives and landing our swords and
spears at the Christians. Dirar & was like a blazing fire burning dry firewood.
Jabalah was amazed at his fighting and ordered his men to shoot his horse with
arrows. They fired and the horse came tumbling down with Dirar 4&. They pounced
on him and captured him. The Christians captured the rest of the Muslims and went
to Antioch. On the way they met Yuqanna and Caesar's daughter as has been
previously mentioned.

480

Part 5: Antioch

12) Safinah <fc and the lion

Ma'mar bin Rawahah narrates from al-Qasim who narrates from Khuzamah
bin 'Amr and Abu al-Munflyr:

Safinah 4*, the freed slave of Rasulullah &, was amongst those captured in Dirar's
4fe expedition. At night he managed to escape and started to make his way to Abu
'Ubaydah 4*>. Suddenly a lion confronted him. He called out, "O lion, I am the freed
slave of Rasulullah S." and proceeded to describe his relationship with Rasulullah

The lion came to him, wagging his tail and stood at his side. It indicated with its head
that he should follow him.

Safinah 4> narrates:

I went with the lion at my side until it brought me to Muslim territory. It left me there
and departed.

When Safinah reached the Muslim camp he told them about Dirar's 4% capture. The
Muslims were upset and Khalid and Abu 'Ubaydah 4% wept and said, "There is no
ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except through Allah, the Most High,
the Most Mighty."

When Dirar's 4* sister, Khawlah, heard she said, "Verily we belong to Allah and to
Him do we return. O son of my mother, if only I knew whether you were tied up in
chains or iron or flung in the wilderness or stained with your own blood."

She then recited:

Is there no informer to inform us after separation,

O my people, what is there that is keeping you away from us?

Had I known that it was to be the final meeting,

We could have stood to bid farewell.

O crow of separation, can you inform me

Of the tidings of the absent ones.

How bright were the days when they were close,

We were happy with them and they were like us.

481

Futuhushdm

May Allah destroy the distance He decreed.

How ugly is that which distancing intends for us.

I remember the nights we were together,

Time has now separated.

If they should one day return to their abode of honour

We will kiss the hooves of their mounts.

Never will I forget when they said, "Dirar is a prisoner!"

"We left him there in enemy territory. "

These days are but borrowed time,

We are like words devoid of meaning.

I see that my heart does not choose anyone besides them

If they are mentioned my heart becomes consumed with grief.

Peace be on the beloved every moment

Even if they are far off and prevented from us.

I (al-Waqidi) have been informed by Wagil bin 'Awf:

The 'Arab women who had men imprisoned with Dirar & gathered by Khawlah.
Amongst them was Mazru'ah bin ' Amluq al-Himyariyah, one of the most eloquent
ones of that era. Her son, Sabir bin ' Aws, was one of those captured with Dirar 4g».
She started mentioning him thus:

£.IjuJI JjAiJl ^ cJ^t Hj L-fJ-J sr JLi ^lj XJ ^Jjj Ljl

£jr\j JXJ\ JLj j^. { , t ■ > Vj &U» c±* j^u> f+J {j£j pi±
£***->. <SJ*J £>* • l*-*-*^ *^y* is^-*~*J f-> ■ ■ « ■ * <£r^-*J

482

Part 5: Antioch

my son, my heart is ablaze
And tears burn my cheeks.

The fire of disaster hides aflame
Which gives fever to my intestines and ribs

1 ask the horsemen to tell me,
About you so that the tears can stop.

There was no good informer amongst them

Nor one to say that you are returning.

O son, ever since you disappeared my life has become gloomy

My heart is broken and my cheeks tear-streaked.

My thoughts are scattered and my mind is confused

My tears flow and my home is abandoned.

If you are living I will fast for the sake of Allah

If not, then what is a slave to do?

Salami bint Sa'id bin Zayd bin 'Amr bin Nufayl who was a great ascetic and
worshipper then said to her, "Is this what Allah has ordered you with? He has ordered
you with patience and promised you reward for that. Have you not heard Allah's
saying:

Those whom when afflicted with misfortune say, "Verily we

belong to Allah and to Him do we return. " Upon them is

salutations and mercy from their Rabb and they are the guided

ones. [2:157]

So you women should be patient in earning your reward and stop your sobbing."

483

Futuhushdm

13) The Sahabah <&> are brought before Heraclius

When Ribah bin Ghanim al-Yashkun brought the one-fifth share of the booty and
Abu 'Ubaydah's & letter to 'Umar 4t, his arrival was announced in al-Madinah. The
people therefore gathered in the Masjid to hear the news about the Muslims. Ribah
entered the Masjid, made salam at the graves of Rasulullah % and Abu Bakr and
prayed two rak'at. He then went to 'Umar &>, kissed his hand and gave him the letter.
'Umar 4» read it out to the Muslims who raised cries of "La ilaha illallah! Allahu
Akbar!" and recited salutations upon Rasulullah S. He then took the booty and wrote
to Abu 'Ubaydah .&, ordering him to invade Antioch and not to be deterred by
anything. He gave the letter to Ribah for delivery.

Mazin bin 'Abdi Rabbihi narrates from Malik bin Usayd who narrates from his
grandfather, Marwan bin al-Jarir:

When Abu 'Ubaydah & received the reply he left on the same day for Antioch. As
for Yuqanna (upon whom be Allah's mercy) and Jabalah (upon whom be Allah's
curse), they continued towards Antioch. A messenger went ahead to tell Caesar about
the arrival of Olivia, Yuqanna and the 200 Muslim prisoners. Caesar was delighted
and ordered the entire city and all the churches to be decorated. The Romans obeyed
and also gave charity to the poor. Caesar's nephew came out in a great glamorous
parade. It was a memorable day. The courtiers and aristocrats walked ahead of Olivia
and every single inhabitant of Antioch came out to witness the spectacle. They
pushed the Sahabah & (who were all tied up) ahead of her. The Romans swore and
spat at them. Both patricians and commoners went around them, swearing and
spitting until Olivia entered the palace.

Jabalah and Yuqanna came in front of Heraclius who gave them and their senior
officers robes of honour. The Muslims were brought and made to stand in front of
him. The chamberlain shouted, "Have respect! Prostrate!" but they ignored him.

Chamberlain : Why do you not respect Caesar and bow to him?

Dirar 4s> : It is not permissible for us to bow down to a created being. Our Prophet
S has forbidden us from that.

Sahl bin Barqan narrates from as-Saib bin Hazm who narrates from al-Hakam
bin Mazin:

Heraclius spoke to Dirar & and the others without a translator. He wanted the
patricians and chamberlains to hear what he said to them regarding Rasulullah H.

484

Part 5: Antioch

When he had first heard from Rasulullah & he gathered them and said, "This is the
Prophet about whom Jesus son of Mary had prophesied. He will be the master of this
era. His religion will triumph over east and west."

When he then proposed to pay Jizyah they wanted to kill him. He then wanted to
explain to them what he had said, intending this for their benefit.

Heraclius : Who amongst you will answer my questions?

The SaMbah & pointed at Qays bin 'Asim al-Ansari 4&, who was elderly and had
witnessed all the conditions, miracles and expeditions of Rasulullah &.

Qays 4i> '■ O Caesar, say what you have to say.

14) The revelations of Rasulullah ift

Heraclius : How did revelation first come to your Prophet?

Qays 4*> : A man of Makkah, al-Harith bin Hisham, asked him, "How does revelation
come unto you?"

He replied, "Sometimes it comes like the ringing of a bell which is severest upon me
and I hear revelation from it. Sometimes the angel comes in human form and I hear
him."

Revelation would come down upon him in intense cold yet it was so severe upon him
that his forehead dripped with perspiration. The revelation first came to him through
true dreams. He would not dream anything except that it would transpire in exactly
the same way the following morning. He began to love solitude and isolated himself
in the cave of Hira and resolved to spend several nights there in worship. He
remained like this until an angel came to him and said, "Read!" He replied, "I cannot
read!"

Rasulullah S said, "He grabbed me and pressed me against his chest until I
experienced difficulty. He then released me and said again, "Read!" I said again, "I
cannot read!" He then did the same thing until I experienced difficulty. He released
me and said, "Read!" I repeated, "I cannot read!" For a third time he did this until I
experienced difficulty. He released me and said,

485

Futuhushdm

^63 'J 51 &* & Cr^V' <-^ ^ c5 ^' iitj^.^ Ijil

i?ea^ /w f/?e name of your Rabb Who created. Who created man

from a clot of blood. Read! And your Rabb is Most Noble, He

Who taught by means of the pen. He taught man that which he

knew not. [96:1-5]

Rasulullah Sft repeated these words which made his heart tremble. He went to
Khadijah bint Khuwaylid and said, "Cover me! Cover me!"

She then covered him with a blanket until the fear subsided. He related the whole
incident said to her and said, "I feared for my life."

"Never," she replied, "Allah would never disgrace you. You maintain family ties; you
support others; you give the destitute; you entertain guests; you help the afflicted
ones and stand up for the sake of Truth."

Qays *fc then continued narrating the entire lengthy hadith.

Qays <sfe : Rasulullah ® said, "While I was walking I heard a voice from the sky. I
raised my gaze and saw that same angel who had appeared before me in Hira. He was
sitting on a chair hovering between the sky and Earth. I felt frightened and went to
Khadijah and said to her, 'Cover me! Cover me!' So Allah revealed:

O covered one! Arise and warn! [74:1-2]
Thereafter the revelation came continuously."

I was with Rasulullah &t in the Masjid one day when a man arrived. He made his
camel sit and tied it. He then entered and made salam to which we replied.

Man : Who is Muhammad?

486

Part 5: Antioch

Muslims : The one with the white face.

Man : O grandson of 'Abdul Muttalib, I wish to ask you some very difficult
questions, so do not evade me.

Rasululldh ft : Ask what you wish to.

Man : In the name of your Rabb and the Rabb of those before you, did Allah send
you to all mankind?

Rasululldh ft : In Allah's name, yes!

Man : In Allah's name, did Allah order you to pray five Salawat every day and night?

Rasululldh ft : In Allah's name, yes!

Man : In Allah's name, did Allah order you to fast this month every year?

Rasululldh ft : In Allah's name, yes!

Man : In Allah's name, did Allah order you to take charity from our rich and
distribute it amongst our poor?

Rasululldh ft : In Allah's name, yes!

Man : I believe in what you have brought. I am my people's messenger. I am
Dammam bin Tha'labah, the brother of Banu Sa'd bin Bakr.

15) Description of Rasulullah ft

Heraclius : I ask you in the name of your religion, what did you witness of his
miracles?

Qays <&> : I was travelling with him when a Bedouin came to him. The Prophet ft said
to him, "Will you bear witness that there is no deity besides Allah and that I,
Muhammad, am the Messeneger of Allah?"

"Who will bear witness for you?" asked the Bedouin.

"That tree!" replied the Prophet and called the tree which was at the edge of the
valley. It came streaking though the ground until it stood in front of him. He asked it
three times to testify, so it said, "You are Muljammad Rasulullah ft."

Then upon his order it returned to its place.

487

Futuhusham

Heraclius : We find it written in our scriptures that if one of his followers commits
an evil it is written against him as one, but if he does good it is written for him as ten.

Qays 4& : Allah says:

He who brings a good deed receives ten the like of it and he
who brings an evil deed is not punished except for the like of

it. [6:160]

Heraclius : I know that the prophet about whom Jesus prophesied will bear witness
against the people on the Day of Judgement.

Qays 4fe : He is our Prophet S. Allah says:

....L^bj l_^->Jj Lr~-*J I ■*$'■''" ti-AiiLuji lj| ^^l 4->l>

O Prophet! We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of glad-
tidings, a warner and an invitor... [33:45]

As for his testimony on the day of Judgement, our Rabb says:

And We will bring you as a witness against them. [4:41]

Heraclius : The one whom I describe to you is such that God orders His slaves to go
to him during his lifetime and to convey salutations upon him both during his lifetime
and after his demise.

Qays -&> : He is our Prophet S. Allah says:

488

Part 5: Antioch

ffer/Ty v4//art an J f/ze angels convey salutations upon the

Prophet. O you who believe! Convey salutations and saldm

upon him. [33:56]

Heraclius : The one who has been described by Christ will ascend to the heavens
where the Most High will speak to him.

Qays 4b : By Allah! He is our Prophet &. Allah says:

Pyre iy #e #7zo took His slave on a night journey from the

sacred Masjid (in Makkah) to the Furthest Masjid (in Baytul

Muqaddas)*. [17:1]

*(...and then to the Heavens - translator's note)

The chief Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church who was the head of their religion
was sitting and listening to this. He turned to Heraclius and said, "O Caesar, the one
described by Jesus was not sent before him and has not yet been sent. This man is
giving a false interpretation."

Dirdr & : Lies drip from your face! This disgraceful, long-bearded man lies! O dog
of Rome, it is you and your ilk who in reality deny both 'Isa and Muhammad $. Do
you not know that Tsa read about him in the Gospels, that Musa read about him in
the Torah, that Dawud read about him in the Psalms. Our Prophet was sent with the
best of religions. His prophethood and messengership is certified in Allah's
Honourable Book and all the other books revealed to the Prophets before him. He is
our Prophet, Muhammad bin ' Abdillah bin ' Abdil Muttalib al-Makki $&, but the veils
of Disbelief prevent you from recognising him.

489

Futuhushdm

16) Dirar <$> and the Patriarch

Heraclius : You have broken the etiquette of the Imperial Court by insulting
Christianity's loftiness. Who are you?

Qays 4» : He is a Companion of Rasulullah %, Dirar bin al-Azwar. Please do not
speak badly of him.

Heraclius : Is this the one about whom I had heard that he sometimes fights on
horseback, sometimes on foot, sometimes fully clothed, sometimes not?

Qays •&> : Yes.

Heraclius then remained silent.

The Patriarch who had initially been smiling was so infuriated at Dirar 's 4» words
that he could hardly control himself. He stood up to leave the assembly. The
chamberlains and patricians were affected by him and also became angry. Heraclius
feared for his life and said to them, "Cut him down with your swords. Wipe out all
traces of him."

They then stabbed him (Dirar &) a total of 114 times, except that through the grace
of Allah Who desired that he live, none of them proved lethal. The patriarch was now
happy and said, "Cut off his tongue."

Yuqanna thought, "I can never let that accursed one exercise such power over the
Companions of the Prophet ®."

He kissed the ground before Heraclius, prayed for the perpetuation of his reign and
said, "O Caesar, this is not right. I say that you leave this boy alone until his wounds
heal. Then we will crucify him at the city gate so that the hearts of the Romans may
heal because this boy's words have an effect on them and he killed many of their
fathers, sons and brothers. In addition, the 'Arabs will lose courage once they hear of
this."

Yuqanna was hoping for Dirar's •&> escape and thought, "By night Caesar should
have calmed down and might release him."

Heraclius replied, "Take him and guard him until tomorrow."

Yuqanna took him to his house and when he wanted to tend to his wounds found that
none of them were lethal. Through Allah's grace not so much as a vein or a sinew
was cut. He stitched the wounds, applied medicine and brought him food and drink.

490

Part 5: Antioch

Dirar 4& opened his eyes and saw Yuqanna and his son. He did not know of
Yuqanna's deception, so he said, "If you two have become Disbelievers then Allah
has put you at my service to the extent that you medicate me. If you are still Believers
then good and welcome. Perhaps through your blessings that old lady in al-Hijaz who
is sick with crying will be reunited with my sister (who is with the army) and I. She
is in this state because I am the last of her loved ones and she has not heard of me for
some time. So if you two can write to Khawlah convey my salam and tell her of my
speech with the Disbelievers so that she can tell my mother."

After resting in the night he said, "In Allah's name write what I dictate to you."

Yuqanna's son then wrote down his dictated poem, letter for letter:

you two! In Allah 's name convey my salam to my family in

Makkah and al-Hijr

You will receive a thousand blessings as long as you live.

What you do will not be wasted by Allah, my pain is already

lightened.

Through your act I have received relief, in that way goodness

amongst people goes.

I am not dying but I have left an old lady in grief,

She is weak and cannot bear life 's afflictions

Which destroyed wheat leaving only wormwood, brittle plants

and flowers.

1 was her support and greatly and greatly honoured her even

when poverty struck me.

I would feed her with what I hunted - rabbits, jerboa, deer,

baby deer and others.

I protect her in all conditions, good or bad.

I desire nothing besides Allah and I wage Jihad against

armies.

I please the best of all creation, Muhammad &, in order to be

successful on the Day of Judgement.

He who fears Judgement Day must please Allah and fight

against the

491

Futuhushdm

worshippers of the cross, the sons of Disbelief
Thus I fought and speared very Disbeliever on the day of

battle.

You say that this separation has passed its time.

I have no patience for it.

O brother! Is there no-one to unite us?

When man leaves his homeland he either returns or is

destroyed.

Do they not inform her about her brother? He sends greetings

and dies imprisoned by the Disbelievers.

Wounded in defending Islam, O doves deliver this letter.

Take my message to the army and chiefs of Islam.

Say that Dirdr is shackled, away from his homeland and in an

inhospitable place.

O dove! Listen to the words of this stranger - he is in the

humiliation of captivity.

If my loved ones ask about me tell them that my tears are like

rain shed by clouds.

If my sister asks about me tell her that I have been stabbed by

the edges of sharp cutting swords.

O doves ofNajd! My everything is at home! Tell them that

Dirdr remains sighing.
Tell them that he is a prisoner whose side and chest are in

pain.

He is only 18 years old.

On his cheeks are tears due to loss of home and unhealable

wounds.

He went for Jihad but the lowly ones' sons betrayed him.

May Allah bless you two. Bury me and write on my grave,

"Here lies a stranger. "

O doves of the Hatim and Zamzam! Will you not tell my

mother about me?

492

Part 5: Antioch

Perhaps the days will make things lighter and free the
stranger 's heart of worry.

After the poem was written, Yuqanna wrote a letter to Abu 'Ubaydah 4fr to inform
him of his plans and sent the letters with a reliable man.

17) Muslims reach Iron Bridge

Jabir bin 'Imran ad-Dawsi narrates:

We were in the land of al-Balat when Ma'n bin ' Aws (whom Abu 'Ubaydah &> had
appointed over the vanguard) arrived with a Roman and said to Abu 'Ubaydah &,
"Take him with you. He claims to be a messenger."

Abu 'Ubaydah & took him aside to speak to him secretly.

Messenger : I have brought you letters.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&, : From whom?

Messenger : From Yuqanna and a prisoner in Antioch called Dirar bin al-Azwar.

Abu 'Ubaydah <&> took the letter and read it out to those whom he held in special
honour. All of them wept. When Khawlah heard she came to him and said, "O
Trusted One of the Ummah, let me hear my brother's poem."

He had only read a part of it when she exclaimed, "Verily we belong to Allah and to
Him do we return. There is no ability to avoid evil and no power to do good except
through Allah, the Most High, the Most Mighty. If Allah wills I will avenge him."

The Muslims memorised the poem and it spread amongst them. The one who was
most grieved was Khalid <&.

'Abdul Malik bin Muhammad narrates from Hassan bin Ka'b who narrates
from 'Abdul Wahid bin 'Awn who narrates from Musa bin 'Imran al-Yashkuri
who narrates from 'Amir bin YaJiya who narrates from Asad bin Muslim who
narrates from Darim bin 'Ayyash:

The resolute people conquered many castles and forts such as ar-Rawindat, Quras
and B&suta. Abu 'Ubaydah * marched continuously until he reached Iron Bridge.

493

Futuhusham

When Heraclius heard of this he became terrified and ordered tents to be pitched near
Iron Bridge. The princes left and had their tents pitched. He opened the armoury and
distributed weapons. Giving Yuqanna a robe, he said to him, "O Lord-Governor, I
am appointing you over the entire army."

He then gave him a cross which was kept in the Cathedral of al-Qaysan and was only
taken out during great events. He said, "O Lord-Governor, keep this cross in front of
you and rely upon it for victory. It will help you."

Yuqanna gave it to his son and told him to keep it in front of him.

Heraclius mounted his horse and went with his princes and chamberlains to pray for
victory in the cathedral of al-Qaysan. After praying he commanded that the 200
prisoners be sacrificed. Yuqanna kissed his hands and said, "O Chief of Rome, God
did not put you over the land and His slaves except that He knew you are too
intelligent to do that. The sage, Disqur, said, "Intelligence raises the grand and the
noble accompany it. It is mankind's honour and creation's lamp." O Caesar, the
'Arabs have come against us with all their numbers and equipment and have reached
Iron Bridge. We will have to fight them although they have the better position. We
do not know the outcome. If you kill these prisoners and they capture any of us, their
hands then will not spare him. Therefore spare them until we can see how things
transpire. If any of our men are captured then we can exchange these hostages for
them."

Imperial officials : The Lord-Governor speaks the truth.

Patriarch : O Caesar, bring them to the cathedral which is the most beautiful in the
city. Order the girls to decorate themselves and come here. When the Muslims see
how beautiful and attractive they look and how pleasant they smell they will incline
to them and enter our religion. This will demoralise the Muslims.

Heraclius agreed. When the Muslims arrived the priests raised their voices in reciting
the Gospel. The Muslims responded with, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar! The
disputers have lied. They have gone far astray. Allah never took a son and there is no
deity besides Him."

Amongst the Muslims was a virtuous and learned Yamani, Rifa'ah bin Zuhayr. He
had read the past scriptures and mastered the sciences of the Himyar. He composed
poetry and structured verses. When he saw the cathedral filled with Disbelievers
venerating the cross and prostrating to statues he shouted, "Allahu Akbar! Allahu
Akbar! La ilaha illallahJThose who have strayed from Allah, the companions of the

494

Part 5: Antioch

Devil, have lied. La ilaha illallah! Allah is One! The Most Merciful has no father.
He is Singular and Independent upon Whom all depend. None can be associated with
Him. He has no opposite, no partner. He brought all things into existence. He shaped
all creation, created the cosmos and set the Earth and Heavens into system. He is the
First without any beginning. He is the Last without any end. He does not die or
perish. He does not come to an end or become old. He has no partner, no minister,
no companion, no advisor. There is none like unto Him and He is the All-Hearing,
All-Seeing."

18) The great Romans and 'Arabs

The cathedral was filled with confusion at his words. The priests came to him with
their staffs, but the chamberlains indicated that they should not harm him and should
leave him. They left him.

Heraclius : What is your name, O 'Arab brother?

Rifd'ah 4* '■ O Caesar, why do you ask my name? We are not of the same kind. What
can you ask me?

Patriarch : He is right - we are not the same. He has no knowledge or information
about which we can question him. He is just a Bedouin who only knows the
habitation of the desert and the company of evil. Our sages are famous and the
wisdom of our land is quite apparent. It springs from the Greeks and has been
preserved by our ancestors, the Syriacs. Where do the 'Arabs have wisdom to pass
down to their generations or sciences to teach each other? Virtue solely belongs to
our scholars and justice to our emperors: Alexander, Ptolemy, Maurice, Justinian,
Armuyil, Antimus, Argus, Sergius, Astius, Astanius, Sarghurius, Nusidi who founded
Antioch, Saflius, Arisa who was a prophet and emperor, Yalinius who founded
Edessa and Manbij.

Wastibus was the soothsayer who informed the emperor of his time that a child had
been born who would speak to the Lord, have prestige and destroy Pharoah. It was
from us that the sage, Fastin, came and it was from us that sciences sprang. Aramunia
was from us. He built and named Great Rumiyah. Then there is Mansatalius who
compiled the first book describing the full extent of the Earth with its mountains,
oceans, cities, plants and animals. He described each nation and its specialities and
described each region's gold, silver and jewel-mines. He counted all the springs on
Earth and listed all their names as well as all the valleys, gorges, mountains, cities
and amazing sights. Edrawas Qalansab was the Roman who said, "May God not

495

Futuhushdm

resurrect me with those who will be told to go with the Devil and his legions to Hell.
O poor fellow! O reader of my book who refuses to abstain from the filth of this
world and its dark lusts which contaminate spiritual senses. For you to ascend to
highest heaven study this wisdom. It is the ladder to the spiritual realm. He who is
deprived of this has lost his way to his Creator, the Fashioner of his shape, the
Originator.

Heraclius listened to this but thought that the Patriarch's jibe was actually intended
for Jabalah who was present with his son. There existed a bitter enmity between the
Patriarch and him. The Patriarch had built a massive monastery where he held a
festival annually. Romans from various places would attend and bring offerings,
money, drapes and candles. All this was under the Pariarch's direction. When
Heraclius granted the land which contained the monastery to Jabalah, he took over
the monastery and built a city over it which he named after himself. It is in fact the
present city of Jabalah.

Sulayman bin 'Amir narrates from Mansur al-Juwani who narrates from
Hajjaj bin Jurayh who narrates from Yahya bin 'Umarah bin Abi al-Hasan:

Rifa'ah & merely smiled at the Patriarch's speech.

Rifd'ah 4» '■ O Patriarch, you have praised such people who have no right to
greatness. There is none who is noble or great amongst them. There is none amongst
them who recognise Allah to be One, Allah Who has no equal or peer. Virtue and
excellence belong solely to the descendants of Isma'il bin Ibrahim. They have the
Sacred House, the Zamzam well, Ibrahim's standing place and all the other sacred
places. Amongst the 'Arabs are the Tababi'ah, the Hamah and the Ashbal dynasties
who ruled the length and breadth of the Earth. Amongst them was Alexander the
great king who ruled both ends (qarnayn) of the Earth. He penetrated the dark regions
and all the people of Earth submitted to him. He reached the rising place and setting
place of the sun. He subjugated their kings and made them into his soldiers and
helpers. Allah therefore named him 'Thul Qarnayn' - he of the two Qarn.

(Qarn has several meanings. It would appear that 'top part of the sun ' is intended
here - translator 's note)

Amongst them are Saba bin Ya'rab bin Qahtan, Shaddad bin 'Ad, Shadid bin 'Ad,
'Amr Thul Athqan bin Sakasik, al-Hudhud bin 'Ad, Luqman bin 'Ad, Sha'ban bin
Aksir bin Tannukh, 'Abbad bin Raqim, Hadil bin 'Utban who used to speak of great
wisdom and mysteries, Musa bin Jalhamah bin Siyasah bin 'Ujlan bin Yaqid bin

496

Part 5: Antioch

Rakh and Thamud bin Kan'an. From us came Saba bin Yashjub, our first crowned
king. Himyar then ruled after him followed by Tubba' who was also crowned. From
us came Wail bin Himyar, the crowned one, and 'Ad bin Himyar, the crowned one.
Allah's prophet, Hanzhalah bin Safwan of the people of ar-Rass is of us. From us is
Nufayl bin 'Abdil Maddan bin Kashdam bin 'Abd Yalil bin Jurhum bin Qahtan bin
Hud upon whom be peace. He built forts, mined treasures and led armies. Allah made
him heir to the knowledge of the Prophet, Hanzhlah bin Safwan 8&9. Allah sealed our
prestige and raised our value by making Muhammad from amongst us. So we are
chiefs and you are slaves.

19) The Patriarch becomes philosophical

Sufyan narrates from 'Abdu Rabbihi who narrates from Rahim who narrated
from al-Walid bin Ziyadah who narrates from Hizam bin Hakim:

Rifa'ah bin Zuhayr bin Ziyad bin 'Abid bin Sariyah al-Jurhumi & was an expert on
'Arab lineage, history and their kings. He had read the books of the Prophets Hud
3&9, Salih 3SSI and Hanzhalah 8S8I. After his speech the Patriarch desired to make him
helpless with a question.

Patriarch : O you of high thoughts and genius, how do hearts reach the spiritual
intellect and rise to the unseen angelic world and through self-exercise become
purified of dirt? They attain enlightened thoughts through purifying the character
which is limited by the limitations of human thought and the physical body. After the
separation of the dirt the soul live eternally, not to be destroyed. The souls
intermingle and pure ones float with pure ones, while filthy ones sink to filthy ones.
Explain all this.

Rifd 'ah4»:0 Patriarch, you have not spoken correctly

Patriarch : And why not?

Rifd 'ah * : How can your hearts recognise the Knower of the unseen when the
correct way is hidden from your hearts? How can the pure be cleansed of the filth
without education about their Disbelief? How can your thoughts attain the hidden
mysteries when you are so deluded? Fears seize you, you have no resolution,
thoughts hardly survive after the starting point. The forms separate from each other
through personal desire and fall upon these desires from their high place. O Patriarch,
this is the wisdom of the 'Arabs which you claim to be alien to the character and is

497

Futuhushdm

not to be sold in their markets. One of the kings of Yaman, Sayf bin Thi Yazin, who
predicted the coming of our Prophet $, would speak on the mysterious wisdoms and
on gratitude for bounties.

One of our eloquent men, Qays bin Sa'idah, has said:

H 1 sri M^l ^1 ^j* ^J (V~ c,li ^1 U^. Ij^i, jjj

^JL^uJ j>Jl ,JU J l^ljjli tf^JJl >S^ ^J-* U5 Ob UL,

Jl*jl ^ cJbfj J^I*-* <Li-Jb>- *-*-»b ^.J^^ ^ O.Xjw> L»j

Hfe are such a tribe who have taken precedence

in all good things and avoid ignorance.

A forbidden woman they will never see

and fear of Allah in very deed there be.

We have Tawheed [Monotheism] and deeds amongst us are

found,
We recognise Tawheed through logic most sound.

We recognise all that is above the sky

just as someone recognises a jewel that is shiny.

We know what and where we were when we had no form.

Even if we are on Earth residing

Our souls are in the world of Light shining.

Therefore they ascended up on high

and found that free of forms is reality.

498

Part 5: Antioch

Abu Sa'id narrates from Shaybah bin Abi 'Abdillah bin 'Isa who narrates from
Luqyah bin Hind who narrates from 'Abdullah bin Rabi'ah:

I said to Rifa'ah bin Zuhayr once he was freed from Roman captivity, "O uncle, how
did you and the Patriarch understand each other?"

Rifd 'ah 4& : O my son, I never met anyone from amongst the accursed ones who was
more eloquent in 'Arabic than him. I asked Yuqanna about that and he said, "Did you
not know that the Romans would not have been able to maintain their empire if the
princes and patricians had not learned 'Arabic?"

When Rifa'ah 4i> narrated the debate to the Muslims many wrote it down.

20) 'Amir becomes a Christian

Rifa'ah 4b had an ignorant son who was in captivity with him. He was inclined
towards Disbelief and Rifa'ah 4&> would make du'a against this. When the prisoners
came to the cathedral and his father engaged the Patriarch in debate, the boy stared
at the cathedral, its beauty, its statues, its crosses. He began pondering over the
beauty of the Roman women. He suddenly kissed a cross and ascribed partners to
Allah.

When Rifa'ah 4b saw this he began crying and said, "Be destroyed! Do you choose
Disbelief after Belief? Woe unto you! You have been evicted from the gate of the
Most Merciful. Woe unto you! You reject the Most Just King? O rejected monkey! O
distant from Allah's presence! O my son, I will not weep at your separation. You
travel one road and I another. You will go to the abode of devils and be resurrected
with monks and acolytes. You will be in the sixth level of Hell while I will go with
Muhammad S to the abode of friendly souls. O my son, do not hanker after the
worldly life! O my son, do not choose its lusts over the Hereafter. Do not humiliate
me through your actions when I stand in front of the Honourable Healer. O my son,
you have disgraced your father's old age by denying the Knower of secrets and
whisperings. O my son! My hopes in you have been dashed. O my son, does your
heart feel at ease to be cut off from Muhammad &> the Chosen One? O my son, who
will you ask to intercede for you on the Day of Judgement? O my son, life has
deceived you into denying the All-Knowing. O my son, you have left real pleasure
for wretchedness. O my son, do you not fear the punishment of blazing Hell? Will
you not be shy in front of Ahmad ® on the Day of Judgement? Do you not know that
your father is grieved at your disbelief? Where can you escape to when Allah calls
you on the Great Day and says, 'O My slave, you denied the One and Only!' O my

499

Futuhushdm

son, you will have a despicable life while your father maintains a life of honour. O
my boy, I ask you in the name of the time when I showed so much affection to you
when you were drinking milk and then were weaned, will you not return to Him Who
covers you completely?"

'Amir replied, "Your boy has locked the door and pulled down the curtain."

The Patriarch thereupon ordered him to be untied and baptised. The priests and the
acolytes then burned incense around him and dressed him in the robes of patricians
and princes. The patriarch gave him a horse, slave-girl and mansion. He attached him
to Jabalah's army and said, "The rest of you, what stops you from entering our
religion as your friend did?"

Muslims : The correctness of our Din and the firmness of our conviction stops us. We
will not change our religion even if you kill us.

Patriarch : Christ rejects you from His door and sends you far from Him!

Rifd 'ah «fe : Allah knows which of us are the rejected ones and which are far from
the mercy of their Rabb.

Heraclius : O 'Arabs, we have heard that your Khalifah wears patched rags when he
has indescribable things from our wealth. Why does he not dress like a king?

Rifd 'ah ^ : His desire for the Hereafter and his fear of the King of Kings prevents
him from that.

Heraclius : What does his court look like?

Rifd' ah & : It is built of mud and has no chamberlains. Instead, it is filled with the
poor.

Heraclius : What is his carpet like?

Rifd 'ah ^ : It is justice and helping others.

Heraclius : What is his throne like?

Rifd' ah * : It is intelligence and conviction.

Heraclius : What is his royal dress like?

Rifd 'ah ■& : It is ascetism and piety.

500

Part 5: Antioch

Heraclius : What is his treasure-house like?

Rifd'ah <& : It reliance upon the Rabb of all the worlds.

Heraclius : Who are his soldiers?

Rifd 'ah <& : Those who take Allah to be One. O Caesar! Do you not know that his
men said to him, "O 'Umar, you now have the wealth of the Caesars, the patricians
and the emperors of Persia, so why do you not wear good clothing?"

He replied, "You are desirous of apparent worldly beauty while I desire the Rabb of
this world and the next."

The herald of power* then referred to 'Umar 4» by proclaiming:

Those who if We establish them over the Earth establish Saldh;
pay Zakdh; order the good; forbid the evil... [22:41]

*(It is unclear if this is meant to be literal or figurative; a human or an angel -
translator s note)

21) The fall of Iron Bridge

Heraclius ordered the Muslims to be locked up in a cell in the cathedral. He then left
to inspect his tent and found several tents belonging to the patricians erected around
his. Small but highly decorated wooden chapels were placed facing each tent. The
chapels had gongs at the entrances. The Romans would rest in these movable
structures and take them with them on their travels and marches.

Heraclius inspected the entire camp and was intending to return when suddenly a
group of horsemen came galloping to him.

Courtiers and chamberlains : What do you people want?

Horsemen : The 'Arabs have seized Iron Bridge.

501

Futuhusham

Heraclius now felt certain that his empire was coming to an end and said, "How
could they capture the bridge and towers when there are 300 patricians stationed
there?"

Horsmen : O Caesar, the commanding officer himself handed it over to them.

It was but Allah's favour to the Muslims that Caeasar's officer would daily inspect
the bridge and the two towers and order the men to be alert. One day he found the
men drinking wine instead of guarding the bridge. He began beating them and would
have killed the commander had it not been for his fear of Heraclius.

When Yuqanna came to assess the situation he found that they all hated Caesar's
inspector. He questioned them but they refused to answer at first.

Yuqanna : Tell me what you are planning?

Guards : First guarantee us that we can trust you.

He managed to win their confidence.

Guards : We are going to give the bridge to the 'Arabs.

Yuqanna : And what do you want?

Guards : All we want is for the Muslims to give us indemnity.

Yuqanna : I will write to the commander to indemnify you, but if you embrace their
religion it will be better for you.

Guards : How is that possible when you yourself embraced their religion and then
left it?

Yuqanna : I seek Allah's protection! I came to trick them into giving Antioch to the
'Arabs.

Guards : For now we will only give them the bridge.

They kept the conspiracy secret until the Muslims arrived. The commander secretly
went to the Muslims. He gave them Yuqanna's letter and requested indemnity for
himself and his men. The Muslims rejoiced at capturing the bridge without any
fighting and granted the indemnity. When they reached the gates the commander
opened them and the Muslims entered. When Heraclius heard of this he put the
Romans on full battle alert.

502

Part 5: Antioch

Yasir bin 'Abdirahman narrates from Manazil bin Nazzaf as-S_aydalani who
was the most knowledgeable man on the conquest of Syria:

When the Muslims marched on Antioch Abu 'Ubaydah 4& said to Khalid, "O Abu
Sulayman, we have reached Antioch, the city of the dog of Rome. Soon his army will
be coming. What is your opinion?"

Khalid <& : Allah Most High says:

And prepare what power you can against them. [8:60]

So order your men to prepare and put the splendour of Islam and the power of faith
on display. Each general, one after the other, should take his force out on parade.

Abu 'Ubaydah & agreed and first sent Sa'id bin Zayd -&, one of the ten who were
given tidings of Jannah by Rasulullah #. He commanded 3,000 horsemen of the
Muhajirin and the Ansar and they formed the vanguard. Then Rafi' bin 'Umayrah
came with 1,000, then Maysarah bin Masriiq with 3,000, then Khalid & with the elite
troops. Abu 'Ubaydah & followed with the remaining troops. With him were 'Amr
bin Ma'dikarab az-Zubaydi, Thul Kala' al-Himyari, 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr,
'Abdullah bin 'Umar, Aban bin 'Uthman bin 'Affan, al-Fadl bin al-'Abbas, Abu
Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb, Rashid bin Damrah, Sa'id bin Rafi', Zayd bin 'Amr and
other such chiefs.

They were in turn followed by those women whose men were in Roman captivity.
These included Khawlah bint al-Azwar, Mazru'ah bint 'Amluq and Umm Aban bint
'Utbah. The saddest of them all was Khawlah. Amongst the tear-inducing poems she
recited at the time of her brother's captivity was this one:

L^i oO t> _. j .* ..... . LJlj

,1 _*» . ~i-j. JUL* b\ ^_JJj

503

Futuhushdm

Can my bleary eyes find pleasure after my brother?

How do my moist lashes find sleep?

I will weep over my brother as long as I live

Who is more to me than my own right eye.

If I find him dead

I will be relieved that he is not disgraced.

If I see a way to solace

I will tie a firm rope to it

We are a people of whom some have died

But none die in humiliation.

If it is said, "Dirdr is gone! "

I will be a showering cloud of tears.

They said, "How much you weep! " I said, "Respite! "

"I will cry until my aorta snaps. "

22) Another assassination attempt on 'Umar 4&

The Romans were in their tents when they heard a shout that the 'Arabs were
coming. They quickly mounted their horses and got into formation. The first general
they saw was Sa'id bin Zayd «fe, coming with his flag. He was followed by al-
Musayyib bin Najiyah, then Maysarah bin Masriiq, then Khalid 4&> and finally Abu
'Ubaydah-^,. Each general halted with his men.

When Heraclius saw them coming he appointed the great warrior, Nastarius son of
Romel, to supervise the army while he entered al-Qaysan Cathedral. There he
gathered all the princes, patricians, courtiers and chamberlains to address them.

Heraclius : O people of the Christian faith! O sons of noble water, the time is near
for what I have been warning you about - the end of your empire and honour in Syria.
I have warned you but you did not accept and wanted to kill me. These people are
now entering your headquarters and destroying your honour, so defend your women,
wealth and lives. Beware of cowardice in battle. I used up all my wealth, treasure and
men to defend my religion and your empire and received no wealth or benefit from
you. Now if you become cowardly and fail to draw the sword of resolve against the

504

Part 5: Antioch

'Arabs you will be disgraced. Where are your sons and forefathers? They died nobly
and now the disgraceful 'Arabs inhabit their homes. Your cathedrals have become
great masjids. They have destroyed your churches and monasteries, lowered your
princes, enslaved your sons and women, taken possession of your castles and rule
your forts and cities. What has passed has passed, so now fight! How many nations
before you were prepared to die in defence of their country and women?

In my wisdom I had proposed to you to reach an agreement with the 'Arabs, but you
refused. This is because the darkness of your ignorance extinguished the light of your
wisdom. Do you not know that a stone tablet was found on the grave of Timawun the
disciple of Afanius? It was inscribed thus, "Wisdom is the ladder to the highest
world. He who is deprived thereof is deprived of the nearness of his Creator. Wisdom
is the life of hearts, the desire of minds, the beauty of life, the light of intellect. He
who is not wise remains sick. He who plans will see. He who sees understands. He
who understands acts. He who acts has his mind opened up for him. He whose mind
is opened purifies himself."

Jabalah : O Caesar, the way to fight these 'Arabs is to fight their Khalifah in al-
Madinah. If you send a Ghassani to kill him they will lose heart and Syria will be
liberated from their clutches.

Heraclius : I have little hope in this because all life-spans are predetermined.
However, what you say pleases me so continue.

Jabalah said to his tribesman, Wathiq bin Musafir al-Ghassani, who was very brave
and would be in the forefront of battle, "Go to Yathrib and kill 'Umar. If you achieve
that I will give you however much money you want."

Wathiq left and entered al-al-Madinah at night. In the morning 'Umar 4b led the
people in Salatul Fajr, made du'a and then went outside al-Madinah in the hope of
receiving news from the Mujahidin in Syria. Wathiq overtook him and hid in a tree-
top in the garden of Ibn ad-Dahdah al-Ansari. He hid himself in the branches.

'Umar 4t returned when the ground heated up and entered the garden
unaccompanied. He then fell asleep in its shade. Wathiq unsheathed his dagger, but
when he wanted to climb down a lion as large as a big cow suddenly appeared. It
encircled 'Umar and sat at his feet, licking them. It remained there until he awoke.
Wathiq climbed down, kissed his hand and said, "O 'Umar, you are just, so you are
safe. By my father! By God! You are he who is protected against all the universe,
whom the beasts guard, whom the angels speak of and whom the Jinn know."

505

Futuhushdm

He then narrated the whole incident to him and embraced Islam.

Some have narrated this story as occurring before the Muslims came to Antioch.

(In Part 2: Hims, the assassin is Tali' ah bin Mdrdn. This would indicate that this
same incident occured twice - translator 's note)

23) Damis is captured

Ubayy narrates from Hassan who narrates from as-Suddt who narrates from
Yahya al-Waqidi who narrates from Shahr bin 'Abbas al-Bayrutf that 'Umar
mentioned to him of the Muslim arrival in Antioch:

Heraclius exorted his people in the cathedral of al-Qaysan and asked them to pledge
not to flee even at the cost of having their blood spilled. They pledged this and went
with him to the camp. Crosses were raised and the priests and monks were reciting.
A great noise was raised by the people of disbelief and transgression. They then got
into battle formation.

The Muslims had already formed their ranks. Each general stood at his station and
the flags and banners had already been distributed. Abu 'Ubaydah & pointed at
Rabi'ah bin Ma'mar, the highly eloquent poet who never spoke except in rhymed
verses. He said to him, "O Rabi'ah, aim the arrows of your words. Exhort the
Mujahidin to battle the Polytheists."

Rabi'ah went before the Muslim ranks and had such a loud voice that both near and
far could hear him:

O people, until when will you be given this respite to attack? The birds of souls have
resolved to break away from the cages of physical bodies and to find rest with their
Creator. They have answered that herald who speaks to us with hints, "What is the
meaning of this delay in sacrificing your lives?"

Do you flee due to love of temporary life and dear ones? This is your moment of
victory, but you run after the beauty of this departing world. The preachers have been
truthful in narrating the unconditional truth:

■*■* • =■* g* ■* \s * ■* ' Tf ■*<rv ' ■* °i ■* ^"» i ■'■"f

506

Part 5: Antioch

Death will reach you wherever you are even if it be in fortified
towers. [4:78]

This is the rising of our star of fortune and the sprouting of our tree of hope. May
Allah be praised at those whose flowers of love bloom in the skies of their flags;
whose dawn of love has broken out in the sky; whose suns of recognition glitter in
the easts of their love. They were those who when they went to attack they formed
rows and geared themselves for the pleasure of the Pure King. They raced each other
and attacked without mercy. Their pure intentions are described thus:

Amongst the Believers are men who showed themselves to be
true ... [33:23]

Zayd bin Isma'il ag-Saigh narrates Ja'far bin 'Awn who narrates from 'Ayyash
bin Aban who narrates from Jabir bin 'Aws:

I was amongst the troops of Abu 'Ubaydah 4$> when Rabi'ah bin Ma'mar exhorted us
with his rhymed speech.

The first Roman to challenge the Muslims was their champion, Nastarus, who
resembled an iron tower. When he reached the centre of the field he issued his
challenge which was taken up by Damis, the conqueror of Aleppo's fort and the slave
of Banu Tarif. The two attacked each other, then at the height of the battle Damis's
horse slipped and he fell flat on his back. Nastarus pounced on him and captured him.
He dragged him in humiliation to the Roman camp and then returned to the battle.

24) Damis escapes

Dahhak bin Hassan at-Tai then came against him. Dahhak greatly resembled
Khalid *fe in fighting style and agility so when they attacked each other a Roman who
had seen Khalid & fighting in other battles said, "This is the great horseman of the
Muslims who conquered our cities."

Everyone came to have a glance at the man they thought to be Khalid •&■ In the great
rush that resulted, the cables of Nastarus 's canopy snapped and his throne toppled.
His slaves feared that if he saw this he would kill them. They had no-one to help them

507

Futuhushdm

erect the canopy since everyone had gone to cheer Nastarus. Two of the three of them
therefore agreed to free Damis and said to him, "We will untie you so that you can
help us lift the pillars of this canopy. We will then retie you. When the patrician
returns we will intercede with him on your behalf to release you."

When Damis said, "Yes," they untied him. As soon as he was loose he grabbed each
one with one hand and smashed their heads together, killing them. He then attacked
and killed the third.

Damis found a box. He opened it and found Nastarus 's clothing therein. He dressed
in it and took a dagger and sword. He then mounted a tall horse and made his way to
the Christian 'Arabs with his face veiled. He reached Hazim bin 'Abd Yaghuth,
Jabalah's cousin. Hazim was in command of the 'Arabs because Jabalah, his son and
other cousins had joined Caesar's personal retinue.

Nastarus and Dahhak continued duelling each other until both of their horses were
wounded and could not bear their riders any longer. The two therefore separated.
Nastarus went to his tent to rest but found that the canopy had collapsed and the
slaves were dead. Damis was missing. He realised that Damis was to blame. He went
to Heraclius and said, "By Christ! These 'Arabs are nothing but devils."

When the army heard what Damis had done they became nervous. Heraclius then
said, "He must still be in the camp because we did not see him leaving. He must be
hiding amongst the 'Arabs where he can blend in most easily."

When Damis saw the commotion he had caused, he drew his sword and beheaded
Hazim with a single blow. The Christian 'Arabs were thrown into confusion and
Allah witheld their hands from Damis. He therefore had time to slacken the reins of
his horse and gallop off to the Muslims who raised shouts of, "La ilaha illallah!
Allahu Akbar!" at his appearance. He went straight to report to Abu 'Ubaydah & who
said, "May your hands never be crippled."

Jabalah was enraged at the murder of his cousin and went to Caesar. He kissed the
ground before him and said, "O Great One of Rome, I cannot be patient any longer.
We have to attack these people who have exceeded all limits and forgotten their
lowly station."

Heraclius was about to issue the order to attack when a group of horsemen arrived.

Heraclius : What news do you have?

508

Part 5: Antioch

Horsemen : O Caesar, Falantius, son of Satanius son of Aramunia, prince of al-
Madain and Great Rumiyah, has come to your assistance.

25) The prophecies of Great Rumiyah

Great Rumiyah was named after his grandfather, Aramunia. At Great Rumiyah there
was a large shrine, Abu Sarfiya. In it they kept a copper statue covered in gold. The
shrine had seven gold doors. At each door was a round altar on which sat a human
statue holding gold tablets in its hand. Each year a tablet would be taken to the shrine
and made to face the sun. The soothsayer would then look at the tablet and predict
what would happen in the region related to that particular tablet, each tablet
representing one of the seven regions. A similar process took place at each of the
altars and by means of this ceremony started by their ancient sages, the people of the
city would learn of the events of the world.

In the centre of the seven altars was a dome resting on eight brass pillars covered
with gold. Enclosed within was a wall speckled white and black. The wall had a huge
door above which was a black stone statue. During the olive season a frightening
voice would emit from the statue and it could be heard east and west. So terrifying
was this sound that hearts would be close to bursting. The next day starlings would
arrive carrying three olives each - one in their beaks and two in their claws. They
would drop the olives on the statue until the entire place was covered in olives. The
people would extract the oil from the olives and eat for a full year.

In the centre of the shrine was a locked room which had never been opened since the
city was built. When Falantius intended coming to Heraclius's aid he was short of
funds for his army. He therefore wanted to open the room to see what was inside. His
officials and Atmius, the shrine-keeper, said to him, "O prince, this room has been
locked for 700 years, 170 years before the coming of Christ*. None of your ancestors
ever interfered with it. All the custodians of the shrine would leave instructions that
it should never be opened. It was built through some secret wisdom of the sages and
kings. This room and the city was built by your ancestor, Aramunia son of Qatawius,
who I believe ruled for 300 years. He instructed his son who also ruled for 300 years
not to open it. He, your father, left the same instruction to you. You have now ruled
for 100 years, do not destroy the wisdom of your ancestors."

*(700 years before the coming of the Sahdbah 4> is 70 BC not 1 70 BC - translator 's
note)

509

Futuhushdm

Falantius insisted and opened the room. In it he found a map of Baytul Muqaddas and
the other cities of Syria. There was also a description of all the kings. At the end was
a statue of Litan who was in fact Heraclius. The statue of Heraclius stared at a tablet
inscribed in Greek: O seeker of Knowledge! Read abundantly for whenever a point
is revised it becomes more embedded in the heart of the listener and is more likely to
be implemented. Knowledge is attained through the mind of logic. It is attained
through much exercise. Knowledge is the tool of planning and planning is where
knowledge is placed. These words are complete for all forms of knowledge. We have
looked into the wisdoms and mysteries and have found that when the cloud of
confusion rains its misguidance upon Earth the Lamp of Guidance will shine in the
lowlands of western 'Arabia and will dispel the darkness of ignorance from all
senses and call people to his religion, to monotheism of the Creator, the Most
Beautiful. He will sweep aside all other religions and empires. His mission will reach
mountains and plains. Once his light has penetrated every dense place he will return
to the spiritual realm. After him a slender man will rule. His heart will be filled with
the light of Truth and its laws but woe to Syria for what the reddish man after him
will unleash on her! He will destroy the Empire of Caesar. He will be heavy set and
his sitting will be as if he is ready to jump. Justice is his description. Truth is his
virtue. His robe is patched. His whip suffices as a sword for him. During his reign
empires will fall and change. When he will conquer this room, which was formed
with wisdom and protected through blessings, then congratulations to he who has
wisdom firm in his heart; whose essence shines with the lamp of wisdom; who
recognises and follows the Truth; and avoids and opposes falsehood.

Falantius was amazed at what he read and said to Atmius, "O Compassionate father,
what do you say about this?"

Atmius : Sire, what can I say about such wisdom which the great ones compiled and
the sages knew. Knowledge is joined to intrinsic information with the light of
intellect. If I look at the greatest empire, that of Heraclius, then all the pillars of his
empire have been demolished in Syria. The Empire shifted from Rome to
Constantinople just as the sage, Mahrius, predicted in his book, "Jewels of Wisdom."
He also stated in it, "The light of a pure orphan will shine from the mountains of
Paran.* Minds will be cleared through the light of his wisdom. The thick darkness of
the sky will be dispelled through his resolve. He will gently call the people and lead
them through their crises. He will triumph over the very horizon. Woe to Jerusalem
from his companion who wears the cloak of awe and the crown of intelligence; the
conqueror of the Earth; the humiliator of kings. During his time the Cross will be
shattered; the temples will be no more; the altars will be pulled down; baptism water

510

Part 5: Antioch

will vanish. There will be no escaping him except by following his law - the orphan's
law."

*( 'Arabia - this same word is used in the Bible - translator s note)

26) Falantius comes to Antioch

Falantius concealed whatever he heard from the custodian and thought, "I must go
and see these 'Arabs but I will still have to go and help Heraclius because the
Patriarch wrote to me threatening to excommunicate me if I fail to defend the faith
of Christ."

He then selected 30,000 of his Georgian troops and appointed his son, Staflius, in his
place. He took out the banners of Alexander the Macedonian which were woven with
gold and pearls and were the same ones he had unfurled the day he had conquered
the oasis of Baliyus. Normally they would not be unfurled except in the Sofia
Cathedral on Palm Sunday every year.

Falantius then left with the unfurled banners above him until he reached Antioch and
camped at the Persia Gate. Heraclius mounted his horse and came out with his
retinue to meet him. He pitched his tent opposite Heaclius's and the Romans rejoiced,
taking this to be an omen of victory. They beat their gongs and made a great noise
amongst the armies.

When the Muslims' spies came to inform Abu 'Ubaydah 4fr, he raised his hands to
the sky and said, "O Allah, your enemies seek help against us with their great
numbers and their numbers increase. Break their unity, destroy their armies, shake
their feet and make their days difficult. Make our word most high and their word
most low. Help us just as you helped our Prophet $ at the Battle of the Confederates.
O Allah, return their scheme to their own necks and help us against them."

This du'a calmed the Muslims.

Ibrahim bin al-' Ala narrates from Abu Yusuf al-Kindi who narrates from Abu
Ja'far ad-Darami who narrates from ar-Rabi' bin Anas who narrates from
Ja'far bin Maysarah who narrates from his uncle:

When the prince of Rumiyah arrived with his army the Muslims became scared, but
Allah kept them firm and Abu 'Ubaydah 4b sent Mu'ath bin Jabal with 3,000 troops
after saying to him, "O Companion of Rasulullah ®, the Romans have gathered from

511

Futuhushdm

the coastal lands to defend their religion. Go and raid the coast. Look after the
Muslims lest you be taken to account because of them."

Mu'ath 4& left and raided Jabalah City and al-Lathiqiyah. He acquired much booty
there. At Jabalah's gate he came across 'Inan bin Jurham al-Ghassani, Jabalah's
cousin. He had 1,000 animals loaded with wheat and barley for the army of Disbelief.
They had been gathered from Tripoli, Acre, Tyre, Sidon and Caesarea and were being
sent by Constantine to his father, Heraclius. When the Christian 'Arabs reached
Jabalah City they handed the consignment to Jabalah's cousin and returned.
Mu'ath 4» now took the entire caravan back to the Muslims.

When the Muslims saw the caravan they raised cries of, "La ilaha illallah! AlMhu
Akbar!" until Heraclius queried as to why they were shouting. When they informed
him he became angry at the loss of the food and said to the patricians, "Nothing
remains between us except battle. God will help whoever He wills."

He then ordered the army to prepare for battle and mounted his horse accompanied
by the prince of Rumiyah, the governor of Mar'ash, the governor of Askabandis Fort,
the governor of Tarsus, the governor of Nasisah, the governor of Quniyah, the
governor of Masir, the governor of Aqsara, the governor of Furthest Caesarea, the
governor of Qumat, the governor of Antaranah, the governor of Tabrzand and
Jabalah bin al-Ayham.

Yuqanna came, setting the troops in rows. Once all the princes and patricians were
at their stations Falantius went to Heraclius to seek permission to duel. He kissed his
saddlebow and said, "O Caesar, I have not left my land and come to serve you from
200 Farsakh (1097.28 km) away, except to please Christ and serve Him before you.
All your armies have already fought and striven. Now I wish to duel the followers of
Muhammad today and thus heal your heart and my heart."

Heraclius : Stay in your place and do not burn your respect and prestige, the prestige
of kings. You became a king before me, so send someone else for the job. You have
not experienced the 'Arabs enough to go against them alone.

Falantius : O Caesar, what prestige remains with these people against us? They have
disregarded our honour, disgraced the honourable ones of our faith and consider war
to be an obligation against our high and low ones. O Caesar! Do you not know that
whoever gazes at the world with the eye of love will find that his passion will lead
him to fanatical love and attachment to worldly embellishments. Then the thick cloud
of ignorance sits on his chest, preventing him from seeing his final destination.
However, he who hastens to obey his Creator by abandoning his passions will arise

512

Part 5: Antioch

to the sacred abode in the place. of friendliness. When the Ancient and Eternal One
saw how forgetful you have become by seeking that which is temporary, he gave the
weakest of nations power over you. They evicted you from your homes and exiled
you from your lands. This is only due to your perpetual obedience to your base
desires. You pass unjust decisions and oppress the citizenry by demanding that which
you have no right to. You oppressively seize their wealth and ruin their condition.
Adultery, fornication and prostitution is rife. For all these reasons you are never
victorious and fall into this cycle of misfortune.

27) Falantius invites his people to Islam

Sarwand the chamberlain : Your highness, do not fling such words at the heart of
Caesar which are above your station. People greater than you have advised him and
have been ignored.

Falantius became angry at being rebuked, but kept silent until nightfall. Once a
quarter of the night had passed he called his chamberlains and high officials.

Falantius : Does it please you that Heraclius's chamberlain raised his voice at me and
insults me in front of all the kings? You know that my dynasty is older than his and
that his lineage is lower than mine and that I started ruling before him. The sage,
Casius, who is famous for his wisdom, had placed a lighthouse between the lands of
the Jaramiqah and the Anjar, which lights a distance covered by 12 days' journey.
That land is only reached through great effort. He had a huge well dug in the centre
of which he placed a great pillar on a rock. Through his engineering feat
announcements can be heard all around it and at the same time the well still fills with
water. He said, "Do not go to that man who considers you to be lower than him for
then you will be made small in front of him. Put your self-honour against his vanity
for self-honour combats the vanity of kings. Do not do anything for an undeserving
man because he will repay you with evil. Kindness is only shown to decent people
and is wasted on lowly and foolish ones - have no concern for them. You may try to
benefit him while he only wants his personal desire fulfilled."

We have come hundreds of Farsakh to serve a man who thinks we want his palace
and crown and that we are merely his ordinary servants. Intelligence tells me not to
follow the dark ignorance of the sense. I therefore refuse to follow it. Honour is
magnificent and dishonour is a disaster. I have decided to go to the 'Arabs and
investigate their religion which is plainly true and victorious through its honesty. He
who is not upon it is in great fear. What do you say?

513

Futuhushdm

Officials : O Sire, do you propose to give up your religion, kingdom and honour?

Falantius : They alone have great wisdom because the light of Tawheed cleans their
minds and brightens their faith through the blessings of their master who is named in
the hidden sciences. The magnetism of his divine wisdom attracted their minds to
follow him and to comply with his laws. Whoever desires to go to the Highest World
should not sit here on the face of this world. Do you not know that light outshines
darkness and that death in reality is the river of life?

Officials : Sire, we will not prevent you from this eternal honour which will take us
out of humiliation and the fear of being conquered. If you wish to take us on a road
to eternity which removes wretchedness, then very well, truth follows truth and
negates falsehood. We are yours and are with you.

Falantius : Then get ready. Tonight we will go riding as if we are on patrol and will
then divert to the 'Arabs.

28) Falantius goes to embrace Islam

Ibn Wahb and Ibn Salih narrate from Abu Musa al-Ash'ari4b:

When Falantius decided to go to the Muslims, Yuqanna arrived with a letter from
Heraclius and gave it to him.

Falantius : Who are you from among the courtiers?

Yuqanna : Yuqanna, prince of Aleppo.

Falatius : How did you end up leaving your city?

Yuqanna related to him the whole story

Falantius : How did you find them to be?

Yuqanna : Sire, I entered their religion and observed them to discover their secrets. I
found them to be a nation who do not listen to falsehood; who do not avert from truth.
They do not sleep at night but strive in worship. When they speak they never fail to
mention their Rabb. They help the wronged one against the oppressor. Their rich and
poor are equals. Their rulers dress like poor people. They take the noble and the
commoner to be equal.

514

Part 5: Antioch

Falantius : If you see their secret and recognise their virtue, then why do you not stay
with them?

Yuqannd : My religion is correct and I cannot part from my people.

Falantius : When the pure eternal souls see the truth then conviction draws them to
the search of sincerity away from a despicable life towards progress to the Highest
World.

Yuqanna left with Falantius's words playing in his mind. He said, "By Allah! He did
not speak a word except that it has become engraved in my heart. His words testify
that he accepts Islam to be correct."

Yuqanna remained uneasy until he eventually decided to visit Falantius at night. He
found him mounting his horse for that secret purpose which has been mentioned.
Yuqanna went before him and kissed him.

Falantius : What veil does God use to cover the wrongdoers from following the road
of the pious? Truth is clear to he who desires it and falsehood is hidden from its
followers.

Yuqannd : Sire, what are you hinting at?

Falantius : If you had any insight you would never even have thought of leaving your
religion. You desire luxury which will come to an end and only leads its owner to
difficulty.

Yuqanna kept quiet. He left Falantius to go spying around and waited on the road
leading to the Muslim camp. Falantius mounted his horse and emerged from his tent
to find 4,000 of his clansmen waiting and mounted. They were firmly resolved and
united in their quest to reach the Muslims. They had decided to leave their old
religion and in so doing, sacrifice their prestige. As they came near the Muslim camp,
Yuqanna and his 200 men appeared before them.

Yuqannd : Sire, are you going to raid the Muslims?

Falantius : By Eternal Allah! No, I am going to join their religion and community
and be one of them! He who realises that the world is perishable works for the
Hereafter. But what prevents you from that which we have already decided on?

Yuqannd : Sire, truth has pulled you from the road of misguidance.

515

Futuhushdm

Yuqanna then told him the real story of how he intended deceiving the Romans.
Falantius kissed him and was pleased with what he said.

Falantius : But how will you accomplish your mission with only these few men with
you?

Yuqanna : O Sire, I have in my house 200 senior Sahabah of Rasulullah S who are
equal to 20,000 Romans. Do not be hasty. Return and send a messenger to inform the
commander of the Muslims what we intend doing. Tomorrow you and your men
surround Heraclius while I enter the city to free the prisoners and arm them. When
the Muslims attack then you and your men should attack Heraclius and his retinue.
Try to capture him and that will fulfil your duty of Jihad. If Allah wills then the
prisoners and I will capture the city. If you wish to return to your land and keep your
affairs separate from us then go and appoint one of your reliable clansmen over the
army.

Falantius : I have not done this in order to enhance my rule or to rule the world. Once
this business is completed I will go to Makkah to perform the pilgrimage and I will
visit the grave of Rasulullah ®. I will then settle in Baytul Muqaddas until I die. Who
should we send as a messenger to the commander to tell him our plan?

Yuqanna : The Muslims have spies in the Roman camp who are their subjects. I can
recognise some of them from my past.

29) Rasulullah & predicts the fall of Antioch

They were speaking under the cover of night when an old man came to them.
Yuqanna looked at him and recognised him as 'Amr bin Umayyah ad-Dumari, the
Zakah-collector of Rasulullah ®. He made salam to Yuqanna and his companions
and said, "Abu 'Ubaydah 4&> makes du'a that Allah rewards you well on behalf of
Islam. He saw Rasulullah i in a dream. He informed him about the prince of
Rumiyah and what you two are discussing; about what has happened to his people
and what you are planning. He gave the glad-tidings that Allah had forgiven all his
past and future sins and said that Antioch would be conquered and the rule of Rome
would disappear from her."

Falantius beamed with joy and exclaimed, "Praise be to Allah Who guided me to
Islam and faith!"

516

Part 5: Antioch

Abu 'Ubaydah & had seen Rasulullah S in a dream saying, "O Abu 'Ubaydah 4fr,
glad tidings of Allah's. pleasure and mercy. Tomorrow Antioch will be peacefully
conquered."

He informed him about Falantius and said, "He and Yuqanna are near to you.
Command them to proceed with their plan."

Abu 'Ubaydah & awoke. He narrated the dream to Khalid <&, and sent 'Amr bin
Umayyah &.

When Falantius heard this he got goose pimples. A violent excitement seized him and
he exclaimed, "I testify that there is no deity except Allah! I testify that Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah. With firm conviction I testify that this religion is the
Truth!"

Falantius's party then returned and encircled Caesar's army as if they were on guard.
When Yuqanna's party left they were even more resolved in their plan to attack
Heraclius.

Yuqanna came across the chief chamberlain coming out of Antioch with the Muslim
prisoners. He had decided to kill them and throw their heads at the Muslims the next
day. Yuqanna's whole world came crashing down around him. He said, "O Chief
Chamberlain, you know that the battle is going to take place between us tomorrow.
If you kill them and throw their heads at the Muslims they will not spare a single one
of us. Fear God! Do not be hasty. Leave them with me until Caesar reaches a decisiort
about them."

The chamberlain left them with Yuqanna and went to inform Heraclius who said,
"Leave them with the Lord-Governor."

He returned and said, "Caesar says that you should take them and guard them."

Yuqanna took them to his tent but was frustrated because his plan to use them to
capture Antioch was thwarted. Once they were in the tent he untied and armed them
and told them of Falantius's intention to capture Heraclius.

Dirar 4* then said, "By Allah! I will please my Rabb tomorrow through my Jihad."

His wounds were completely healed. They had spent eight months in captivity.
Yuqanna then spread the prisoners amongst his clansmen.

517

Futuhushdm

Abu Muhammad narrates from Sa'td bin AM Maryam who narrates from
Yahya bin Ayyflb who narrates from 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud <*>:

Heraclius did not order the prisoners to be taken out. It was one of his special
officials, Talis son of Renius, who bore a striking resemblance to him. Heraclius
made him wear his crown and belt and said to him, "Stand in my place tomorrow. I
wish to trick the 'Arabs and hide from them."

He did this because he dreamt that someone had come from the sky and toppled him
from his throne, sending his crown flying from his head. The person said, "What was
far off is now near. Your rule in Syria is now over. The empire of wretchedness and
hypocrisy is to be replaced with the empire of harmony."

That person then blew on his army, igniting a fire. Heraclius awoke in a fright and
interpreted the dream to himself to mean the end of his rule.

Before the arrival of the 'Arabs he had already gathered all his treasure onto ships
about which none of his ministers knew anything. He had also prepared water and
provisions. After seeing the nightmare he sent his entire household, not leaving a
child, woman or any other relative behind. He gave Talis his instructions which have
already been mentioned. Once Talis sat on the throne he gave the chamberlain no
other instruction except, "Take out the prisoners and behead them."

The chamberlain took them and then Yuqanna rescued them as has already been
mentioned.

Yasir narrates from Sulayman bin 'Abdil WShid who narrates from Safwan bin
Bishr who narrates from 'Urwah bin Math' fir who narrates from Muhammad
bin 'Ali who narrates from 'Adi bin Shu'bah who narrates from Qatadah who
narrates from Abfi as-£iddiq at-Taji who narrates from Ibn Sa'd:

Heraclius left Antioch as a Muslim.* He had secretly written to 'Umar 4fe, "I have a
headache which does not subside. Please send me medicine."

*(It is unfortunate that the respected author has chosen to report such narrations
which are contrary to the accepted majority view that Heraclius never accepted
Islam - translator 's note)

'Umar <& sent him a qalansuwah which was such that when he wore it, his headache
subsided and when he took it off his ache returned." He was astonished at that and

518

Part 5: Antioch

had it opened. Inside was written, "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most
Merciful.''''

Heraclius exclaimed, "How noble and honourable is that name if God cured me
through it."

(This hardly constitutes evidence that he became Muslim - translator 's note)

The cap then became an heirloom until it reached the governor of Amorium. When
the ' Abbasi king al-Mu'tasim came to Amorium he suffered from a severe headache.
The governor therefore sent the qalansuwah to him. Once he put it on the headache
disappeared. He ordered it to be opened and found a piece of cloth therein upon
which was written, " In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful."

30) The Battle of Antioch

In the morning Talis mounted his horse and put the Roman army into battle-array.
The Imperial retinue hovered around him, thinking him to be Heraclius. Falantius
and his men circled the Imperial retinue while Yuqanna and his men also came riding
in disguise.

The first to attack was Khalid ^ with his elite force. Sa'id bin Zayd 4& followed him;
then Qays bin Hubayrah; then Maysarah; then 'Abdurahman bin Abi Bakr &; then
Thul Kala' al-Himyari & and so on. The people followed each other, one group after
the other.

Once the battle was in full swing Yuqanna and his men attacked the Christians.
Praise be to Allah for Dirar •&! He fulfilled the right of the sword and extracted
revenge from the Romans. Every time he killed a Roman he shouted, "Revenge for
imprisoning Dirar bin al-Azwar!"

He, his men and Rifa'ah bin Zuhayr aimed for the Christian 'Arab army. Rifa'ah
shouted, "Take revenge against those who imprisoned you. Attack! Beware of
cowardice. Know that the gates of Jannah are open, its women and palaces decorated,
its buildings glittering, its serving boys exulting, its judge is manifest. O 'Arab youth,
who amongst you desire to marry the women of Jannah? Sacrificing your lives is the
dowry of he who wants a bride in Jannah and he will have the boys serving him. Who
desires that which the Judge-King describes:

519

Futuhusham

Reclining on green cushions and rich beautiful mattresses.

[55:76]

Where are those who participated in Badr and Hunayn with the chief of both worlds?
Where are those whose hearts have been purified of forgetfulness and dirt? Join those
who desire the Eternal Abode and tie your camels at the gate of He Whose beloved
ones never die. He desired that they should reach their rightful places and that they
should increase in good deeds so He removed the veils and they saw an abode whose
buildings are of light and foundations are of mercy; its bricks are gold and its cement
is musk; its water is the water of life; its pebbles are pearls and jewels; its sand is
camphor and ambergris; its walls are Magnificence and Delight; its curtains are
nobility; its trees are La ilaha illallah; their branches are Muhammadur Rasulullah 0;
their fruits are Subhanallah! Alhamdu lillah! Allah is Most Pure! Praise be to Allah!
its extent is that of Heaven and Earth; its ceiling is the Throne of the Most Merciful.

When they witnessed all this and wanted to reside therein it was said to them that
they would never reach it except through sacrificing their lives for the Holy King.

Then He dressed them in the robe of kindness and crowned them with the crown of
pleasure. He unfurled the banner of forgiveness over their heads, embroidered with
the words of their secret:

Do not consider those slain in the Path of Allah as dead. They
are alive with their Rabb receiving sustenance. [3:169]

They have indeed spent their lives in attaining the pleasure of the Most Holy."

Dirar 4s> attacked the enemies and made them drink the drink of destruction. He came
across a rider smashing the battalions apart and shouting, "Vengeance for Dirar!"

520

Part 5: Antioch

He saw that it was Khawlah, so he shouted, "Turn around, O Bint al-Azwar. By
Allah! I am your brother."

She turned to make salam to him.

Dirdr 4b: Leave me now. This is not the time for salam. Fighting the Disbelievers is
better than your words, O Bint al-Azwar. Keep your bridle with mine and your spear-
point with mine and wage Jihad in the Path of Allah. If one of us is killed then we
will meet at the Pond of Rasulullah ® in the Plains of Resurrection.

31) Victory

While they were speaking JOirir & saw the armies of Rome turn and flee. This was
because when Falantius had seen that the fire of battle was stoked and its smoke
rising, he and his men attacked Talis thinking him to be Heraclius. Someone began
shouting, "Falantius of Rumiyah has betrayed and captured Caesar."

Thereupon the Romans fled and the Muslims killed them in such numbers that only
the tolls of Ajnadayn and al-Yarmuk are comparable. The dead from the Christian
'Arabs alone amounted to 12,000.

The Muslims then began searching for Jabalah and his son but found no trace of
them. 500 chiefs of the Christian 'Arabs had sailed off with Heraclius including
Jabalah, his son, his cousin Qarzhah, 'Urwah bin Wathiq, Murhif bin Wathiq, Hijam
bin Salim and Shaybin bin Murrah. They settled down on the islands where they
continued their Christian progeny.

The Muslims took the canopies, tents, brocade, goods and treasure, captured 30,000
prisoners and killed 70,000 Romans while the Christian 'Arabs fled. Some fled to the
mountain-passes while others fled to Constantine at Caesarea.

After the battle the booty was gathered before Abu 'Ubaydah 4i>. He fell into
prostration out of gratitude to Allah while the Muslims made salam to each other.
When the parties of Dirar •&, Yuqanna and Falantius arrived they made salam to the
Muslims who rejoiced at seeing them. The Muslims said to Falantius, "We have
heard our Prophet & saying that when the noble one of a people comes to you, you
should honour him." Falantius observed their good character, humility and abundant
worship and remarked, "By Allah! These are the people about whom 'Isa had
foretold."

521

Futuhushdm

Every single one of his clansmen embraced Islam and waged Jihad until all the cities
were conquered. Thereafter Falantius went to perform the Hajj in Makkah and went
to visit the tomb of Rasulullah S. When he came to make salam to 'Umar 4b, the
Khalifah jumped up to shake his hands as did all the Muslims. Falantius then settled
down in Baytul Muqaddas where he worshipped Allah until his death.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b saw that the Antioch garrison had fortified themselves in the city
while the Muslims were not fortified. He made du'a, "O Allah, make a way for us to
conquer her. Make it a clear victory."

A patrician, Salib son of Marcus, commanded the Romans. He was an ignorant man
who resolved to defend Antioch from within the walls.

32) The conquest of Antioch

That night the city leaders gathered around the Patriarch and said, "Go to the 'Arabs
and obtain whatever terms you can."

He spoke to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b who accepted his request. A fine of 300,000 Mithqal
of gold (1312.2 kg) was imposed on Antioch. Once the treaty was concluded Abu
'Ubaydah & said to him, "Vow that you will not betray us, because your city is in
impenetrable, mountainous and rough land."

Khdlid 4b :Who will minister the oath?

Abu 'Ubaydah 4± : Yuqanna.

Yuqanna put the Patriarch's hand on the Patriarch's head and then placed his own
hand above that.

Yuqanna : Say, "By God!" forty times and then say, "If I betray you then I will cut
my sacred cord and smash my cross. The priests and monks will curse me. I will
leave the religion of Christianity. I will slaughter camels in the basin of baptism
water and pollute it with the urine of Jewish babies and I will kill all who are present
there. I will tear up the robes of Mary* and tie them as a turban on my head. I will
slaughter the priests and the dye the dresses of brides with their blood. I will thus
imply that Mary was an adulteress. I will place the menstrual cloths of Jewesses on
the altar. I will extinguish the lamp of the Cathedral of Sergius. I will marry a Jewess
who never cleans herself from menstruation. I will wash my robes on Friday
mornings. I will demolish all the cathedrals and churches. I will worship the divine
and deny the human god. I will eat camel meat on Palm Sunday. I will fast the whole

522

Part 5: Antioch

month of Ramadan in a state of thirst. I will gnaw the flesh of monks. I will pray in
the robes of a Jew. I will say that Jesus was a skin-tanner." Then also say, "We will
not betray you and are with you."

*(Isldm respects Mariam 8SSS [Mary]. Yuqanna intended to make breaking the oath
difficult for the Patriarch - translator 's note.)

Abu 'Ubaydah <& entered Antioch on 5 Sha'ban 17 Hijri. In front of him were the
flags that Abu Bakr had tied for him. Khalid & was on his right and Maysarah bin
Masruq on his left. Ahead of him were the Quran-reciters reciting Surah al-Fath (the
Chapter of Victory). They proceeded until they reached the Gate of Gardens. There
he sketched out the boundaries of a Masjid which he ordered to be built and which
is still in existence today.

Maysarah bin Masruq narrates:

We saw the city to be a prosperous one with a pleasant climate and abundant clean
water. The Muslims took a liking to the city and wished to rest there for a month but
Abu 'Ubaydah & did not allow us to remain there for even three days. He wrote to
'Umar &:

Saldm 'alayka

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity. I convey
salutations upon his prophet Muhammad. I thank Him for the
victory, booty and help He bestowed upon us.

Commander of the Believers! I am informing you that Allah
Most Honourable and Majestic has conquered for us the centre
of Christianity, Antioch. Allah broke their army and helped us
against them. Heraclius fled via the sea.

1 did not remain in the city because its climate is so pleasant that
I feared that love of the world would overcome the hearts of the
Muslims and make them disobedient to their Rabb. I am taking
the army back to Aleppo where I will be awaiting your
command. I will obey whether you order me to cross the
mountain-passes or to remain here.

523

Futuhushdm

O Commander of the Believers! The 'Arabs are looking at the
daughters of Rome who ask them to marry them. I have
forbidden them from accepting because I fear a tribulation
unless Allah grants protection. Please hasten to reply.

Saldm upon you and all the Muslims.

Abu 'Ubaydah <& folded and sealed the letter and said, "0 Muslims, who will take
my letter to the Commander of the Believers?"

Zayd bin Wahb was the slave of 'Umayr bin Sa'id who was the freed-slave of 'Amr
bin 'Awf. He hastily replied, "O commander, I will deliver it to him if Allah wills."

Abu 'Ubaydah 4t replied, "O Zayd, you are a slave and are not at liberty to do as you
please. You will have to ask your master for permission."

Zayd hastened to 'Umayr, bent down and kissed his hand from which 'Umayr
forbade him. He was an ascetic who longed for the life to come. He owned nothing
of this world except his sword, spear, horse, camel, baggage, large bowl and plate.
He would only take enough from his share of the booty to live on. He saved nothing
and distributed the rest of his share amongst relations and others. If anything still
remained he would send it to 'Umar «&> to spend on the poor Muhajirin and Ansar &.

'Umayr : What do you want?

Zayd : O Master, permit me to be the Muslims' messenger of glad tidings to 'Umar*&>.

'Umayr : If I forbid you from this wish I will be a great sinner. Go, I set you free for
the sake of Allah. I hope that through my freeing you Allah will free me from Hell.

Zayd was delighted. He returned to Abu 'Ubaydah & and said, "Through the
blessings of your letter I have been set free."

Abu 'Ubaydah <& too was happy and gave him a fast camel from Yaman. He mounted
it and took the quickest route to al-Madinah.

33) 'Ulnar's * instructions

Zayd narrates:

There was a great deal of shouting and people were running towards al-Baqi' and
Quba. I said to myself, "Something must be happening!" and followed them to see

524

Part 5: Antioch

what was happening. I thought that they were going to battle when I saw a man
whom I recognised. When I made salam to him he recognised me.

Man : Is that you, Zayd?

Zayd : Yes.

Man : Allahu Akbar! Zayd, what news do you have?

Zayd : Glad tidings of booty and victory. What is the Commander of the Believers
doing?

Man : He is setting out to perform the Hajj and is accompanied by the wives of
Rasulullah $&. The people have gone to bid him farewell.

So I made my camel sit and tied it. I ran until I stood in front of 'Umar * who was
on foot. Behind him his slave was leading his camel loaded with his provisions,
bowl, gear and Indian corn. The litters were in front of him; 'All 4& at his right; al-
' Abbas & on his left; and the Muhajirin & and the Ansar & behind him. He was
leaving them instructions with regard to al-Madinah.

I said, "As-salamu 'alayka, O Commander of the Believers. I am Zayd bin Wahb, the
freed-slave of 'Umayr bin Sa'id. I have brought you glad tidings.

'Umar <&> : May Allah give you good news too. What is your news?

Zayd : This is the letter of your governor, Abu 'Ubaydah &, informing you that Allah
conquerd Antioch at his hands.

'Umar fell into prostration to Allah, rubbing his cheeks in the dust. He then raised his
dust-covered face and said, "O Allah, praise and thanks be to You for Your all-
encompassing bounty. . .Bring the letter. May Allah have mercy on you."

When I gave him the letter he read it and cried.

'Ali •& : Why are you crying?

'Umar <&, : Because Abu 'Ubaydah 4» regards the Muslims to be weak.

.... jj-ULj 5jL»'bf /^jjjJI o).

525

Futuhushdm

Verily the ego orders towards evil. [12:53]

He then gave the letter to 'All * who read it out to the Muslims. I then saw
'Umar's* crying cease. He turned to me in joy and said, "O Zayd, when you return
to Antioch enjoy her figs and apples to the full and praise Allah excessively."

"O Commander of the Believers," I replied, "This is not the season!"

He then sat down on the ground and called for an ink-pot and paper and wrote as
follows to Abu 'Ubaydah 4fe:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : Allah 's slave, 'Umar

To : His governor over Syria, Abu 'Ubaydah 'Amir bin al-
Jarrah

Saldm 'alayka

I praise Allah besides Whom there is no other deity. I convey
salutations upon His Prophet. I thank Him for the victory He
granted to the Muslims; for giving the outcome in favour of the
pious; and for remaining constantly affectionate and helpful
towards us.

You claim to leave Antioch because of her pleasantness, but
Allah has not forbidden the pleasant things unto the Believers.
He says,

... ikL^ iJL^Ijo^ijT^ }jt'jLjf\ tjfc

O Messengers! Eat of the pure pleasant things and perform
pious acts. [23:51]

O you who believe! Eat of the pure pleasant things which We
have provided you with and be grateful to Allah. [2:1 72]

526

Part 5: Antioch

It was therefore compulsory upon you to let the Muslims rest
from their fatigue. You had to leave them to eat well and rest
their bodies from the tiredness of battle against those who deny
Allah.

As for my order which you are waiting for - go behind the enemy
and conquer the mountain-passes. You are present while I am
absent. The present sees that which the absent does not see. You
are present by the enemy and your spies bring you intelligence.
If you see that for the Muslims to cross the passes is the correct
thing to do, then enter their territory and make all roads narrow
for them. Grant terms to whoever seeks a treaty with you and
fulfil them to the best of your ablility.

As for the 'Arabs who want to marry Roman women - permit
them only if they have no family back in al-Hijdz. Allow anyone
to buy slave-girls because that will protect their chastity.

I instruct you to generously spend on Falantius, prince of
Rumiyah, and his men. He has given up his family and power.

Peace be upon you and all the Muslims.

He folded the letter and gave it to me, saying, "May Allah have mercy on you! Go
and make 'Umar your partner in divine reward."

I took the letter and was about to depart when he said, "Wait until 'Umar supplies
you with some of his food."

He made his camel sit and gave me one Sa' (3.2 or 2.1 kg) of dates and one Sa' of
sawiq cereal, saying, "O Zayd, excuse 'Umar for this is all he can spare."

Then when he kissed my head I wept and said, "O Commander of the Believers, it is
above my station to be kissed by you when you are the Commander of the Believers,
a Sahabi of the master of all Messengers and through you Allah completed the
number of Muslims at forty."

527

Futuhushdm

He wept and said, "I can but hope that Allah will forgive me through your
testimony."

As I mounted my she-camel I heard him saying, "O Allah, let him mount with safety.
Fold up the distances for him. Make the near distances easy for him. Verily You have
power over everything."

I was delighted at his du'a for me. I knew that his du'a was never rejected because
he was obedient to his Rabb and followed His Prophet %. I travelled the Earth which
folded up beneath the hooves of my mount until (and swear this by Allah!) I reached
Abu 'Ubaydah *fe on the third day. He had left Antioch and was camped at Hazim.
As I reached the Muslim camp I heard a great deal of noise so I asked a man from
Yaman, "What is the cause of this?"

"Joy at the victories Allah has granted to the Muslims," he replied.

Al-Waqidi narrates:

Khalid <a& had gone raiding right to the banks of the Euphrates. The people of Manbij,
Baza'ah and Balis surrendered in exchange for returning their men and wealth. Thus
he conquered those three places as well as Fort Najm during the middle ten days of
Muharram 1 8 Hijri. After he returned their wealth they surrendered and paid a fine
of 150,000 Dinar and the governor, Garfanius, fled to Roman territory with his
wealth, slaves and horsemen.

Khalid <& appointed 'Abbad bin Rafi' at-Tamimi over Manbij; Najm bin Mafrah over
al-Jisr; ' Aws bin Khalid ar-Raba'i over Baza'ah and Badir bin ' Awf al-Himyari over
Balis. Badir built a fort to the east of Balis and named it, Badir, after himself. Khalid
returned with all that wealth on the day Zayd returned.

34) Do we cross the mountain-passes?

Zayd bin Wahb narrates:

I went to Abu 'Ubaydah 4h who was sitting with Khalid «fe at his side. Khalid 4& had
brought the money which the Romans had surrendered to him. I made my camel sit,
made salam to them and gave the letter to Abu 'Ubaydah <&■ He tore it open and read
it out to the Muslims. He then said, "O Muslims, the Commander of the Believers
has given me the option of crossing the mountain-passes because he says that I am

528

Part 5: Antioch

present while he is absent. Since I do not decide anything without consulting with
you I now ask for your advice. May Allah have mercy on you."

Nobody replied so he repeated his question. They still remained silent, so he said, "O
Muslims, you now rule this land of Syria which Allah has granted to you. He has
expelled your enemy therefrom in humiliation and made you the inheritors of the
land and buildings as he promised in His Honoured Book. What do you advise me
with? Do we cross the mountain-passes into enemy territory?"

They still remained silent so he repeated his question and said, "What is this silence
for? Have you become cowards after having been brave or have you become la2y
after having been energetic? Or have you become so pure that not a trace of sin
remains on you and you have accumulated so much virtue that no mistake remains
against you? It should then be expected that Allah will help you in Jihad which is
better for you than the world and all it contains."

Maysarah bin Masruq : O commander, we do not remain silent out of cowardice but
await someone else to reply out of mutual respect. We have no other business except
for Jihad against Allah's enemies. We are here before you. It is for you to order us
and for us to obey Allah, His Rasul ® and you. I can only speak for myself and not
others. Send me wherever you please, you will find me to be obedient.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4h : Whoever wishes to express an opinion should do so.

Khalid & : O commander, staying back from the enemy is just plain weakness from
our side. If we go after them we will obtain booty. Victory is of course from Allah. I
suggest that you send armies through every single mountain-pass. This will weaken
the enemy and comfort the Muslims.

Abii 'Ubaydah 4& : May Allah reward you well, Abu Sulayman. I want to tie a flag
for Maysarah and despatch him with an army because he hastened to this matter and
pointed it out. May Allah open up the passes for them so that they can raid the nearby
lands and return to tell us about the territory. We can then act upon their news.

Khalid &> : That is correct.

Abu 'Ubaydah ~& tied the flag for Maysarah and chose 3,000 horsemen for him from
mixed tribes and 1,000 black slaves. He appointed a leader over each tribe and Damis
over the slaves.

They armed themselves heavily, each one saying that he was enough to take on an
entire squadron on his own. Abu 'Ubaydah *fe then said to Damis, "O Abu al-Hawl,

529

Futuhushdm

your group will form the vanguard. Do not oppose Maysarah in anything he may tell
you because he is a blessed scout."

"I hear and obey," replied Damis.

As the army began its preparations, Khalid & said, "O commander, send guides with
them to show them the way and spy on their enemies."

The Christian allies of Aleppo were asked to volunteer guides who would act for the
good of the Muslims. The Aleppans chose four of them whom Abu 'Ubaydah*
rewarded. He acted kindly towards them and commuted their Jizyah. He then asked
them, "Which pass should the Muslims cross to get to their enemy?"

They all agreed on entering the largest pass through the land of Quras and said, "O
commander, these passes are nothing like the lands you have conquered. They are icy
cold, dense with trees and filled with stones and mud. There are many valleys,
gorges, glens, passes and caves."

The Yamanis retorted, "You simply go ahead of us. You will see us performing
amazing feats."

Damis then left with the guides in front of him and Maysarah behind him. They bade
the people farewell and left reciting the Quran and "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!"
the Muslims made du'a for their safety and victory.

35) Beyond the mountains

'Ata bin J a 'id ah narrates:

We followed the guides until we reached Handas Pass. We crossed it going in the
direction of as-Sajur until we reached Quras where we camped for the night. In the
morning we entered the main pass and found the land to be rough and filled with
trees. Much water flowed and it was such a restricted area that a horseman could find
no place to manoeuvre. We became frightened at the dreariness of the land which an
'Arab would find to be too cramped.

I thought, "If these valleys end up being long then I fear that the enemy will
overpower the Muslims."

The guides continued ahead of the Muslims and now reached high mountains which
were difficult to climb. Everyone had to dismount and go on foot. We walked until

530

Part 5: Antioch

our sandals fell apart and our feet bled. We remained in that sjate for three days while
the guides said, "Be alert. If the crossing overpowers you you will be destroyed."

On the fourth day we finally reached an open space. We had entered the Roman
territory in the beginning of summer and were therefore lightly dressed. The new
land was bitterly cold and the mountains to the left and right were covered in snow.
Damis had no warm clothing and was being affected by the cold. I asked him, "O
Abu al-Hawl, why are you shivering?"

"I am getting cold," he replied, "and do not have anything with me to keep me
warm."

I gave him a piece of fur which he wore. Once he warmed up he said, "May Allah
dress you in the garments of Jannah."

We continued until we reached a pleasant land with abundant water and few trees.
We did not see anyone there because the Romans had emigrated out of fear of the
Muslims. When we saw a village on the fifth day we went towards it. We saw that it
was uninhabited but could hear chickens and sheep. We entered the village without
finding any defender or obstruction and realised that the people must have run away
from us. Maysarah shouted, "They must have fled from us."

The Muslims entered the village and took whatever food, furniture and goods that
were there.

Sa'id bin 'Amir narrates:

I saw Abu al-Hawl carrying three bundles and two sheets on his shoulders so I asked
him, "What is this, Abu al-Hawl?"

"I am preparing for the cold of this disgusting land which I will never forget," he
replied.

The Muslims took all the food and fodder of the village and continued the journey
until they reached a meadow called Meadow of the Tribes. It was spacious and we
let the horses loose to gallop. The army camped there, but Maysarah began thinking
of returning to Aleppo because Abu 'Ubaydah & had ordered him not to tarry and to
remain on guard.

36) The Roman army

Whilst the Muslims were in this state a horseman appeared with a prisoner.

531

Futuhushdm

Maysarah : Where did you get him from?

Horseman : O commander, I went ahead of my companions when I saw someone
sometimes visible and then disappearing. I rushed and caught this man whom I have
brought to you.

An allied Christian went to question the prisoner. They spoke to him for a long time
while the Muslims remained quiet. When the conversation dragged on longer
Maysarah snapped, "Woe unto you! What is he saying?"

Ally : O commander, he says that when Heraclius fled from Antioch via the sea and
reached Constantinople, the Roman refugees and others went to him. When he heard
that Antioch had peacefully been conquered and that his warriors had been killed he
took it very badly and wept saying, "O land of Syria, peace be upon you until the day
of meeting."

He then said to the patricians and chamberlains who had gathered around him, "I fear
that the 'Arabs will come after me."

He then sent 30,000 troops under three patricians to defend the passes for him.

Maysarah : Ask him what the distance is now between us and them.

Ally : He says, "Two Farsakh (11km)."

Maysarah looked to the ground and kept silent. 'Abdullah bin Huthafah 4fe of the
Sahm clan was a great warrior who fought only with an iron-spear. He was very
sharp-tongued.

'Abdullah 4& : O commander, why do I see you staring at the ground like a horse with
its bridle rattling? Each one of us can face 1,000 Romans.

Maysarah : By Allah! I did not look down out of fright or fear, but out of concern at
what might befall the Muslims under my banner especially since this is the first
banner to cross the passes. 'Umar will blame me and every shepherd is responsible
for his flock.

Muslims : By Allah! We are not concerned by death and do not worry over that which
is not attained because we have sold our lives for the Jannah of our Rabb. He who
knows that he is to leave the temporary abode for the Permanent Abode will not be
concerned at the treatment he receives at the hands of the Disbelievers.

Maysarah : O people, should we fight them here or should we advance upon them?

532

Part 5: Antioch

Muslims : If their position is in a more spacious area than this then we should go.

They consulted the ally who said, "From here to Amorium there is no place wider
than this. If you have decided to fight them then remain in this place, but if you
withdraw before your enemy comes it will be much better for you."

Maysarah then presented the prisoner with Islam. When he refused he beheaded him.
At that moment the Romans appeared like a swarm of locusts. They lit fires because
the day had already passed.

37) The Battle of Meadow of the Tribes

In the morning Maysarah led the Muslims in Salatul Fajr and then stood to address
them: O people, this is your day which will never be repeated because your banner
is the first to cross the passes. Know that your brothers compete with you in good
deeds. Know that the world is an abode through which one merely passes while the
Hereafter is the abode of permanence. Listen to what our Prophet S said, "Jannah
lies beneath the shadow of swords."

Do not look at the great numbers of your enemy and conclude in your thoughts that
you are as good as dead. Allah Most High says:

* u -- ->*?,'* $1. ' i ^ / i-> ' '1.' _T i- -'• * ^

How many a small group overcame a big force with Allah s
leave? And Allah is with the patient ones. [2:249]

The Muslims replied, "O Maysarah, ride with us and confront them with Allah's
blessings. We hope for Allan's help against them."

Maysarah was pleased with this reply and so they all mounted their horses. The
slaves separated and stood under Damis's banner. They took it upon themselves to
fight the enemy and sought Allan's help.

Maysarah gave the Muslims instructions. He put 'Abdullah bin Huthafah as-Sahmi^
over the right-wing and Sa'd bin Abi Sa'id al-Hanafi over the left-wing. The slaves
advanced under Damis without uttering a word. The Romans mounted and stretched
out their three rows which consisted of 10,000 men each. They held their crosses in
front of them and had come out in force, fully equipped. Once they were in proper

533

Futuhushdm

formation an 'Arab Christian emerged from their ranks. He approached the Muslims
and said, "The wrong of the unjust destroys him. Was Syria not enough for you to
conquer that you now stretch out over the mountains? But this time your deaths have
overtaken you. Here are 30,000 horsemen all of whom have sworn on the Cross not
to flee even if it means death. If you wish for us to spare you then surrender
yourselves into captivity so that Caesar may decide what to do with you."

Damis emerged with the banner in his hand and said, "You have spoken the truth in
saying that the wrong of the unjust destroys him. As for you saying that we should
turn ourselves over to you to spare ourselves, that makes you unjust for speaking
without experience on your part. Here I am, a mere slave out of the slaves of the
'Arabs. I have no value amongst the people of rank. Come near so that I can bring
you down and make you languish in your own blood."

Damis then spurred his horse towards him, speared him and brought him off his
horse, dead. He then roamed around on his horse, waving his flag and saying,
"Allahu Akbar! Allah has conquered and helped and brought us triumph."

The Romans were enraged at Damis for killing their champion. Another one came
towards him. Before he could even get close Damis speared him through his upper
chest and took his spear out from the Roman's back. The Romans saw this and said,
"A mere slave out of the slaves of the 'Arabs has done this" and were too frightened
to come out against him. Damis therefore advanced, killing one of them from the
centre of the army and then started returning. An entire row of Romans, that is
10,000 men, charged at him. The slaves and then the rest of the Muslims responded
in turn and the two armies clashed.

38) Damis is captured and freed

Maysarah narrates:

May Allah be praised for the slaves. They truly proved themselves and saved Damis
from the brink of destruction. They were saying, "We are the slaves of the slaves of
Allah. We strike like lightning and kill those who deny Allah."

The battle continued until the sun reached the centre of the dome of the sky at which
point the two armies separated due to the heat. The Muslims were expecting victory
while the Romans were expecting their own destruction. 900 of them had been
captured and about 1,000 killed. However, when the two forces separated the
Muslims could not find Damis. Maysarah than said, "If Abu al-Hawl has been killed

534

Part 5: Antioch

or captured then this is a severe affliction upon us. I complain to Allah about his
loss."

Ten Muslims had been captured so Maysarah asked, "Who will go and investigate
their condition?" but at that moment the entire Roman army launched a most violent
attack. Ten to fifty of them would join forces against a single Muslim until they either
killed or captured him. They managed this because they were 30,000 while the
Muslims were only 4,000. The battle intensified with the striking of spears and
swords.

May All&h be praised for Maysarah! He waged JiMd as it should be waged and called
out, "O people, remember the Hereafter. Know that it is closer to you than the return
to your family. Welcome it just as a mother welcomes her son and do not mm your
backs to it. I fear that what they inflict upon us is due to our own weakness. Break
your scabbards because this is the only way to salvation."

Zayd bin Wahb narrates:

Every Muslim threw his scabbard away. When the Romans saw what we did they
imitated us. That battle has two names - "Battle of the Meadow of Tribes" and "Battle
of the Smashing" due to the smashing of scabbards. The two sides fought until a man
would say that his sword could no longer cut. The Muslims called unto Allah for
relief while the Christians called out their words of disbelief. The Africans were
ready to fight to the death and called out, "Through the intercession of Muhammad."
The battle-cry of the 'Arabs was, "Help! Help!"

Ibn Thabit narrates:

I was seized with anxiety about the condition of the Muslims. We were in a tight
situation when I heard a terrifying shout come from the enemy side. I saw them
fighting people who had appeared in the middle of their army and were making the
frightening noise. The sound increased and then I heard someone shouting, "La ilaha
illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah!"

I said, "These are the voices of angels," and followed the voice to find that it was
none other than Damis Abu al-Hawl. He was behind his shield and was accompanied
by the ten who had also been captured. They fought together and defended each other
until they escaped from the midst of the Roman army. I heard Damis recite:

535

Futuhushdm

■L.....,.» .11 i^JL-— ,j tfj-**Uj JUJU^JI ,jj *la_pVl ^Lk.

ju,,> ,:, II -lJ^-^ ^^L*! i^-^-J ^->j iL* , !l 1 < .

r/2e enemy bound me in iron

but my helper and master is most destructive.

I swear that just as certainly that 'Ad and Thamud have been

destroyed he helped with his strong help.
Muhammad the pure guided one freed me from the chains and

iron.

He is the Messenger of the Magnificent King,

May the salutations of the

Most Praiseworthy Helper be on him.

The Muslims attacked so violently it was as if the fleeing Romans had drowned in
their own blood. By Allah! The Muslim dead were at most fifty-two while more than
3,000 Romans were killed, excluding those killed by Damis and company in the
centre of the army. When Maysarah saw Damis he wanted to come walking to him,
but Damis prevented him on oath.

When the two armies separated Maysarah pressed him to his chest, kissed him
between the eyes and asked, "What happened to you?"

Damis : O commander, the Romans ganged up against my horse and killed it. When
I fell down they took me prisoner and tied me and my companions in chains. We gave
up hope of ourselves. At night I saw Rasulullah @ in a dream who said to me, "Do
not worry Damis. My position with Allah is great."

He then rubbed his noble hand on the chains which fell off me. He did the same to
the others and said to us, "Glad tidings of Allah's help. I am your Prophet,
Muhammad Rasulullah."

He then said to me, "Convey my salam to Maysarah and tell him that may Allah
reward him well."

536

Part 5: Antio'ch

He then disappeared and I awoke. Our guards were sleeping due to exhaustion and
they had flung their weapons aside. We took the weapons and killed them. We then
attacked the Romans and were aided by Allah through the blessings of Rasulullah S.
We killed as many as we could and then came safely out from amongst them.

This narration caused the Muslims to raise shouts of, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu
Akbar!"

39) Romans are reinforced

When the Roman commander, Garis, saw what had befallen his men he said, "By
God! That Empire which you defend has lost. If you do not fight firmly and
vigorously I will kill you myself."

The Romans vowed not to flee, but to fight to the death. Garis then ordered fires to
be lit on the mountain heights and sent a party to take the prisoners to the cities.
20,000 Romans then came from all directions to assist him, but this did not perturb
the Muslims.

In the morning Maysarah led the Muslims in Salatul Fajr in the manner of Salatul
Khawf. He was the first to pray in this way beyond the passes and his banner was the
first to cross the passes. After the Salah he stood to address the Muslims. After
praising Allah and conveying salutations upon Rasulullah S he said, "O people, be
firm despite what is befalling you. Patience can only be practised at the time of
hardship. It shows that Allah's mercy is upon us because we are surrounded by the
enemy but we fight with Allah's help. Abu 'Ubaydah 4b had commanded me not to
take you far away whereas we are now seven days' journey away from them and Abu
'Ubaydah 4b does not know that we have confronted an army."

Sa 'id bin Zayd 4* : O Maysarah, what do you intend with these words? If you are
encouraging us then we are already more desirous of meeting Allah than a thirsty
man is desirous of cold water.

Maysarah : I wanted your suggestions. I was thinking that we should send a man to
inform the commander-in-chief what is happening to us and that the enemy have
increased. He should therefore reinforce us with our brothers.

Sa'id4e : An excellent suggestion!

Maysarah then called one of the four allied Christians and promised him every good
thing if he would take someone with him and tell Abu 'Ubaydah 4b, "The enemy

537

Futuhushdm

have come against us from every fort, town and village and are now facing us." He
also had to report to Abu 'Ubaydah & whatever he saw. The two left and pressed hard
in their journey taking known roads. When they reached the Muslim camp they fell
unconscious like two old mules due to exhaustion.

Abu 'Ubaydah 4t> ordered water to be sprinkled on them. When they were revived he
asked, "What happened? Has the expedition been destroyed?"

"No," they replied, "but the enemy have come against them from every place."

They then informed him of the battle, the breaking of the scabbards, the capture of
Damis, his escape and the current situation. Abu 'Ubaydah & became most anxious
and hurriedly stood up. He went to Khalid's 4fr tent to find him tending to his armour.
When Khalid & saw him he stood up and said, "O commander, all is well, is it not?"

Abu 'Ubaydah & took him by the hand and went with him to his tent. There he told
the two men, "Stand and narrate what you have seen."

They repeated their report.

Khalid <&> : Allah Most Pure and High has not abandoned us since He helped us and
praise be to Him for that. He ordered us to be patient at the time of difficulties and
has said:

O you who believe! Be patient, assist one another with
patience and defend each other. [3:200]

Oi^ai\ £* 4Ml Oj-

Verily Allah is with the patient ones. [2:153]

As far as I am concerned I have already said that I dedicate myself to waging Jihad
in the Path of Allah and am not miserly with my life towards Allah and His Rasul 0.
Perhaps Allah will save me from Hell and bless me with martyrdom.

He rushed back to his tent; donned his upper-body armour and blessed qalansuwah
and mounted his horse. A call to arms was made and the people came to him from all

538

Part 5: Antioch

sides. If Abu 'Ubaydah <&> had not stopped them they would have all gone with him.
3,000 to be followed by another 2,000 were selected to go.

AJimad bin Hisham narrates from Iyaji who narrates from his sources:

As Khalid 4Sb departed to aid Maysarah he lifted his hands to the sky and prayed, "O
Allah, make a way for us to them. Fold up the long distances. Ease every difficulty
for us."

He then set out for the mountain-passes.

40) Capture of 'Abdullah bin Huthafah ^

Maysarah and his men were being confronted by the Romans in intense daily battles
and they would only separate at night. The Romans received reinforcements daily
while the Muslims suffered from fatigue and wounds but did not lose heart. It was as
if they were a people whom Allah had veiled from death.

'Umar bin Rashid narrates from az-Zubaydi:

When Khalid departed to reinforce Maysarah across the passes Abu 'Ubaydah 4b fell
into prostration for a long time saying, "O Allah, I beseech you through the
intercession of him whose name You put with Your own name and whose status You
have made above that of Your other Prophets and Messengers. I ask that You fold up
the lengthy distances for them, that You ease for them every difficulty and that You
join them up with their companions. O You Who are near! O You Who accepts du'a!"

At that time Maysarah was awaiting relief and help from Allah.

'Abdullah bin al-Walid al-Angari narrates from Thabit bin 'Ijlan who narrates
from Sulayman bin 'Amir al-Ans.ari:

I was with Maysarah in the Battle of the Meadow of the Tribes when we smashed the
scabbards and when the Romans came swarming from all sides while we were
resting and anticipating battle. One day a patrician came out of their ranks. He was
wearing double armour and iron on his forearms. A helmet glittered on his head. On
top of it was a jewelled cross. He carried a spear as large as a camel's leg. He came
between the two armies challenging us to duel him. He was in fact one of the three
generals of the original 30,000 and was issuing his challenge in his barbaric tongue.

539

Futuhushdm

Maysarah asked the translator, "What is this uncircumcised one saying?"

Translator : He says that he is a great horseman and desires to fight your brave
warriors.

Maysarah called out, "Who will go and fight him?"

A Muslim from the tribe of Nakha' rushed forward. He wore the clothing and armour
of the Romans. We said, "He was an 'Arab Christian before he embraced Islam."

The Roman began talking to him, thinking that the Nakha'i could understand him but
when he saw that he did not respond, he attacked. He thrust at him with his spear
which the Muslim dodged. It missed him and struck his horse's head instead. The
horse then fell down with its rider. When the Nakha'i sprang to his feet Maysarah
called out, "O Nakha'i brother, return."

He ran back with the patrician in pursuit.

'Abdullah bin Huthafah as-Sahmi <& then came charging and screaming at the
patrician. The Roman became confused and turned towards him, giving the Nakha'i
time to reach the Muslim camp. 'Abdullah & then attacked the Christian who
responded to his attack. The duel between them was a difficult one. None of
'Abdullah's & strikes achieved anything because the Roman managed to deflect
them all with his shield. However, the heavy spear was weakening his arm. The duel
dragged on until at one point they both struck simultaneously. 'Abdullah * was
slightly faster. He struck below the jaw, brought his sword down on the Roman's
neck and sent his head flying from his body. When the Roman's horse started
returning to the Roman camp 'Abdullah * grabbed it as well as the spoils and
returned to the Muslim camp. The Romans were greatly affected since the patrician
was highly esteemed by them and especially by Heraclius.

Another patrician then came forward saying, "Caesar's companion has been
murdered. I will most certainly avenge him. I will either kill his murderer or send him
to Caesar to do with him as he pleases."

He then approached the headless body and began sobbing. He said in a fluent tongue,
"O 'Arabs, there is no doubt that God will soon destroy you for oppressing us. Let
the murderer of this man come and duel with me so that I may take revenge on him."

'Abdullah 4t wanted to go but Maysarah forbade him out of compassion and ordered
him to rest. Maysarah wanted to accept the challenge.

540

Part 5: Antioch

'Abdullah * : O commander, they challenge me by name. If I stay behind I will
appear weak.

Maysarah : I have pity on your tiredness.

Abdullah 4» : You pity me because of my worldly tiredness but you do not have pity
on me burning in Hell? I swear that I and none other shall go for the duel.

He then went riding on the horse of his victim. He wore no protection besides his
upper-body armour and carried his sword and his shield in his hands. When the
Roman saw him riding his friend's horse he charged. 'Abdullah •&> defended himself
but found his foe to be as solid as a mountain who came crashing down on him. The
Roman grabbed him, pulled him towards him and took him as a prisoner. He took
him back to his camp and ordered, "Chain him and load him onto the postal horse to
be sent to Caesar immediately."

This was done.

41) The Romans sneak off

The patrician again came onto the battlefield, proud at his achievement. Three
different Muslims wanted to fight him, but Maysarah said, "/ will fight this cursed
one."

He then called Sa'id bin 'Amr bin Nufayl &>. He gave him the flag and said, "Guard
the flag so that I can go to fight this accursed one. If I return I will take it back." If
not, then my reward is from Allah."

Sa'id took the flag while Maysarah left, reciting this poem:

} \ 11— , J 5-T -l-J . ^1

The protecting and healing One knows

That my heart is seared with fire

At the boy who was still standing here this morning.

541

Futuhushdm

The disbelieving brother of evil ones will soon know
That I am taking revenge against him.

Maysarah then attacked. A protracted battle ensued which both found difficult.
Sometimes they attacked, sometimes they withdrew. They disappeared from sight
under a cloud of dust. Both camps were watching and praying for their man. When
they reappeared from the cloud they were slightly closer to each other, but not
absolutely together. The Roman then exclaimed, "I swear by your religion! What is
that flag which I see coming behind your army? Maysarah ignored this trick and
retorted:

And that is not difficult for Allah. [14:20]

The Roman insisted, "I swear by my religion that I have not said anything to you
except the truth."

This was a complete lie. As soon as Maysarah turned around hoping to see the relief
coming from Allah and to verify the Roman's word, the accursed one grabbed his
hand to capture him.

Ironically it was at that moment that Khalid's <fe flag was seen, blazing with a light.
The Muslims shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" so loudly in unison that the Roman dropped
Maysarah's hand and turned to investigate. Maysarah immediately tried to pull him
out of his saddle but failed because he had chained himself to the saddle. He kept
pulling unsuccessfully until Khalid & came to them. The patrician raised his sword
to free himself, but the sword swerved and he cut off his own left hand. He then
escaped and fled back to his camp, wailing because of the amputation. His slave-boys
came and cauterised him.

Maysarah told Khalid & of what had occurred from the Romans and how they had
captured Ibn Huthafah &. Khalid was extremely upset and exclaimed, "Verily we
belong to Allah and to Him do we return. Someone like 'Abdullah bin Huthafah has
been captured? By Allah! Khalid will never leave them until he frees them, if Allah
Most High wills."

He then encamped for the night.

542

Part 5: Antioch

The next day an old Roman wearing a monk's black frock came to him. He stood in
front of him and intended to prostrate, but he prevented him and asked, "What do you
want?"

Monk : The commander wishes to conclude peace with you on condition that you
withdraw.

Khdlid^ : We will not withdraw until our usual conditions have been met. As for the
prisoners, if you do not free them willingly we will free them forcefully.

Monk : Are you the commander?

Khdlid^, : Yes.

Monk : Will you agree to a ceasefire for the rest of the day and night so that we may
ponder over the matter between us? This will give our commander time for his pain
to subside then we can answer your demands.

Khdlid 4b : We accept.

The monk returned to his people and told the patrician, "They have accepted. The
fighting has stopped."

The Muslims then camped directly facing the Romans who began lighting many
fires. They then loaded up their goods and fled early in the night.

The next day the Muslims mounted and found no trace of the Romans. They realised
that they had fled. Khalid 4fc regretted that they had managed to escape him and
wanted to chase them, but Maysarah stopped him and said, "This is their territory and
is rough terrain. The correct thing for us to do is to return to the Muslim army"

The Muslims took whatever the Romans had left behind. They then returned in
victory, but regretted the capture of Abdullah bin Huthafah as-Sahmi 4b. When they
reached Aleppo Abu 'Ubaydah 4> met them, pleased at their safe return. When
Maysarah told him about 'Abdullah's 4» capture he was grief-stricken and said, "O
Allah! Grant him ease and a way out."

42) 'Abdullah 4> and Heraclius

Abu 'Ubaydah 4b wrote to 'Umar ^ about the expedition beyond the passes and
'Abdullah's capture. 'Umar 4b was pleased at the safe return of the Muslims but was
grieved at the capture of 'Abdullah 4» whom he loved dearly. He said, "I swear that

543

Futuhushdm

I will write to Heraclius to send us 'Abdullah bin Huthafah. If he refuses I will
personally lead armies against him. He then wrote:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise belongs to Allah Who neither took a wife nor had a
son. May Allah s salutation be upon His Prophet Muhammad,
the helped one.

From : Allah's slave, 'Umar bin al-Khattdb, the Commander of
the Believers.

As soon as my letter reaches you you should send me the
prisoner who is with you, 'Abdullah bin Huthafah. I hope that
you will be guided if you do this. If you refuse I will despatch
men against you - and what men! Men for whom neither trade
nor buying distract them from the remembrance of Allah.

Peace upon those who follow guidance and fear a destructive
end.

He folded the letter and posted it to Abu 'Ubaydah * with instructions that it be sent
to Heraclius. When the messenger brought it to Heraclius he asked, "From whom is
this letter?"

The messenger replied, "From the Commander of the Believers, the leader of the
'Arabs."

Heraclius read the letter and summoned 'Abdullah bin Huthafah 4&.

'Abdullah bin Huthafah £. narrates:

I entered the presence of Heraclius. He wore a crown and was surrounded by
patricians.

Heraclius : Who are you?

'Abdullah 4*> : Just a Muslim man from the Quraysh.

Heraclius : Are you family of your prophet?

544

Part 5: Antioch

'Abdullah 4k : No, but we are of the same tribe.

Heraclius : If you will follow our religion I will marry you to a daughter of a
patrician and make you one of my special men.

'Abdullah 4> : No! By Allah besides Whom there is no other deity! I will never depart
from the Din of Islam and upon that which Muhammad brought.

Heraclius : Accept our religion and I will give you much wealth, slaves and slave-
girls.

'Abdullah 4h : Never. By Allah! Were you to give me the entire Empire of your nation
and all that you own I would still not leave the Din of Islam.

Heraclius : If you do not accept my religion I will kill you in a most evil way.

'Abdullah 4& '■ I will never accept even if you cut me to pieces. Even if you burn me
with fire I will never leave my faith. Do as you please.

Heraclius (angry) : I will release you if just prostrate once to this cross.

'Abdullah <&> : I cannot do that.

Heraclius : Then eat pork and I will free you.

'Abdullah * : May Allah protect me from doing that!

Heraclius : Then drink just a sip of this wine and I will let you go.

'Abdullah 4k : No! By Allah! I will never drink it.

Heraclius : I swear by my religion that I will force you to eat and drink this.

He then ordered me to be locked in a cell with the pork and wine and said, "He will
eat and drink once hunger and thirst grip him."

'Amir bin Sahl narrates from Yfisuf bin 'Imran who narrates from Sufyan bin
Khalid who narrates from those upon whom he relies:

Heraclius died of a broken heart shortly after fleeing from Antioch. It is said* that he
died as a Muslim and the one that did this to 'Abdullah * was actually his son,
Nastius, who had been nicknamed Heraclius.

*(lt is said and not proven - translator 's note)

545

Futuhushdm

On the fourth day he enquired from his slaves about 'Abdullih &.

Slaves : He neither ate nor drank. He is still as he was.

Minister : O Caesar, this is one of their noblemen who do not brook humiliation.
Whatever you do to him the Muslims will do to our prisoners who are in their hands.

Heraclius then summoned 'Abdullah &.

Heraclius : What did you do to the meat?

'Abdullah ^ : I left it as it is.

Heraclius : What prevents you from eating it?

'Abdullah 4<> : Fear of Allah and His Rasul S. Also, although it became permissible
for me to eat it after three days, I will not allow the godless ones to mock me.

Because of 'Ulnar's 4k letter Heraclius decided to release him and gave him much
money and robes. He also gave him many pearls to give to 'Umar & as a gift. He
sent cavalry to escort him to the mountain passes. Abdullah * travelled to Aleppo
where the Muslims rejoiced at his release.

'Abdullah * went on to al-Madinah. When 'Umar & saw him he fell into prostration
out of gratitude and congratulated him on his safe return. 'Abdullah 4*> narrated the
whole incident with Heraclius and presented the pearls. 'Umar *& showed them to the
traders who said, "These are priceless. Who gave them to you?"

The Sahabah & said, "Take them. May Allah give you blessings in them."

Umar 4t exclaimed, "La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah S! Perhaps you
permit me to take them, but 'Umar has no power if the absent Muslims and those in
the wombs of their mothers and those in the backs of their fathers - the descendants
of the Muhajirin, the Ansar and the Mujahidin in the Path of Allah - should claim
against me on the Day of Judgement."

He then sold the pearls and put the money into the state-treasury.
43) Accidental drinking bout

'Umar bin Salim narrates from 'Abdullah bin Ghanim who narrates from Abii
Bakr bin 'Umar who narrates from 'Abdullah bin 'Abdirrah.man bin 'Abdillah:

When Abu 'Ubaydah 4& peacefully conquered Antioch and despatched the
expedition of Maysarah bin Masriiq as mentioned, he stayed at Aleppo awaiting the
results of 'Amr bin al-'As. <& who had gone to Caesarea with 5,000 Muslims.

546

Part 5: Antioch

Amongst them was 'Ubadah bin as-Samit, 'Amr bin Rabi'ah, Bilal bin Hamamah*
and Rabi'ah bin 'Amir &■

(Hamamah was his mother, Ribdh his father - translator's note)

Sabi' bin Damrah al-Harrani narrates:

I was with 'Amr bin al-'As 4b when he marched on Caesarea. We entered a village
on a very cold day and searched for grapes. At one house we found large bunches of
grapes and experienced intense cold because of the grapes. "May Allah disfigure
these accursed ones." I said, "Their land is freezing, their water is chilly and their
grapes makes one cold!"

One of the villagers heard me and came to trick me. "O 'Arab brother," he said, "If
you find the grapes cold then drink their water."

He then pointed out an earthen jug which a group of Yamanis and I drank from. We
became drunk and swaggered in this state.

'Amr bin al-'As 4b was informed and he wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah 4b who replied,
"The punishment for drinking wine is established. Implement Allah's punishment
and do not fear in this matter the blame of those who blame."

'Amr 4b called us and whipped us. His lashing pained me and I said, "By Allah! I
will kill that Disbeliever who showed us the wine which resulted in us drinking and
being punished."

So I took my sword and entered the village, searching for him. I went to him as soon
as I saw him, but he fled and shouted, "What wrong have I done against you?"

"You showed me that which makes Allah angry and resulted in my punishment," I
said.

"By God!" he wailed, "I did not know that it was forbidden to you."

'Ubadah bin as-Samit 4» then called out to me, "O Sabi', beware of killing him. He
is under our protection."

I left the Christian alone. He went and returned with olives, walnuts and raisins and
said, "Eat these instead. They will warm you."

I ate and found them good. I said, "May Allah defame you! Where was this before I
got lashed?"

547

Futuhusham

44) Everything glorifies Allah

Sabi' narrates:

'Amr & marched on until he reached a village called Mahall (in another text
"Nakhl"). This news reached Constantine to whom the remnants of his father's army
had fled until he had gathered a force of 80,000. He summoned a Christian 'Arab and
said to him, "Go and investigate the 'Arab army for me."

The spy went and sat with a group of Yamanis who were warming themselves by a
fire. When he intended leaving, AMh made his tongue slip and he said, "In the name
of the Cross!"

The Yamanis realised that he was a Christian spy so they pounced on him and killed
him. A tumult was raised in the camp which 'Amr •&. heard. When he asked, "What
is happening?" he was told, "A group of Yamanis found and killed a Roman spy."

'Amr 4» was enraged. He summoned them and said, "How could you kill the spy?
Could you not bring him to me for questioning? How many spies were there amongst
us who changed to our side because hearts are only in Allah's Hands, He changes
them as he pleases."

He then proclaimed throughout the army, "Whoever finds a stranger or spy should
bring him to me."

Constantine realised that the spy's delay meant that he was killed, so he sent another
spy. This spy went to observe the Muslims from a high place and returned to inform
Constantine that they were 5,000. He also cautioned that they were like savage lions
and tearing eagles who consider death to be a gift and life to be a burden.

"By Christ and the Communion!" exclaimed Constantine. "They will have to be
fought. Either the goal will be attained or I will die patiently."

He then summoned his chief commander, Baklakoon, and said to him after having
selected 10,000 of his elite troops, "Go on reconnaisance with them."

Baklakoon left immediately.

Constantine then gave another cross to his military advisor, Sergius son of Bakoor.
He gave him another 10,000 and said, "Go and meet up with your comrade."

Sergius left and the next Constantine came with the remainder of the army after
having left 10,000 troops with his paternal cousin, Castius, to protect Caesarea.

548

Part 5: Antioch

Bashshar bin 'Awf narrates:

We were in the camp when the first patrician arrived with 10,000 men. We estimated
the amount and rejoiced saying, "We are 5,000 and the enemy 10,000. Each of us will
only have to face two of them.'

Suddenly the second patrician arrived with his 10,000. 'Amr <& then said, "Whoever
desires Allah and the Hereafter should not be scared by their numbers, even if their
numbers should increase even more. Jihad is the most profitable trade. It is most
honourable and worthy. Who can be more proud to stand in front of Allah than he
who is killed in His Path between the ranks of the Disbelievers. He will be with
Allah, grazing in the meadows of Jannah. He will receive from Allah all-
encompassing bounties and favours. Allah Most High says:

* f -i' T' ' ''*.'„*

Do not consider those who have been killed in Allah 's Path as

dead. They are in fact living with their Rabb, receiving

sustenance. They are happy at what He gives them. [3:169]

Had you not hurried to kill that spy he could have informed us of this army's coming
and its numbers. We could have been prepared and alert, but Allah's decree cannot
be averted."

Amr * then gathered the Muslim warriors and said to them, "I think that we should
sent a message to Abu 'Ubaydah «& requesting cavalry and infantry reinforcements
because this army is massive. O people, who will ride to the commander to inform
him of what is happening to us? Perhaps he will reinforce us just as he reinforced
Yazid bin Abi Sufyan when he was besieging Caesarea. Allah will reward the
messenger."

(See appendix E - translator)

Rabi'ah bin 'Amir : O 'Amr «&, lead us against the enemy and place your trust in
Allah. He Who helped us in many places when we were few will help us today
against the rest of the disbelieving nation.

549

Futuhushdm

'Amr 4k : By Allah! You have spoken the truth.

'Amr 4k then ordered them to get ready to fight the enemy The Muslims mounted
and raised their voices with, "La ilaha illallah! Allahu Akbar!" until the very
mountains, hills, rock debris, trees, stones and whatever was on the face of the Earth
reverberated, "O our Deity! O our Master! We hear voices of Tawheed not
Polytheism - voices which do not pollute Tawheed in anyway. We hear the speech of
Tawheed and see faces of people who proclaim Your magnificence and praise. O our
deity! How pleasant is the hearing of Your mention. Who is there to help us thank
you?"

The animals and wild beasts also thanked their Master Who knows their secrets and
whisperings, "O You Who gathered the animals in a state that they are pleased with
what you gave them, You Who extracted their provisions and pasture, they go forth
in the morning in a state of hunger and return in the evening satiated at the door of
the Lord and Master. O You Who if a worm should hide beneath the seven Earths You
would see it. Were a grain destined to sustain a slave to be in darkness beneath the
darkness of the sea You would bring it to that slave. O our Deity, we hear voices
which we did not know proclaiming Your unity in this land. You are Most Pure! O
You Whose power we cannot forget! O You Whose kindness and virtue does not
come to an end."

An unseen voice then proclaimed from the sky, "Many are those who glorify Allah
in the mountains, in shelters below the Earth, in the unpopulated wastelands and in
the depths of the water of the overflowing seas."

The Christians were terrified at hearing these voices from the sky. It was as if the
Earth and all its inhabitants had replied to the Muslims. Constantine had also arrived
and heard them. He glanced at the 'Arab army which appeared to multiply before his
eyes and said, "By my faith! When I came they were not that many They were no
more than 5,000, but now their numbers and help are increasing. There is no doubt
that God is reinforcing them with angels. What foresight my father had about the
'Arabs. My army does not compare to the million of Bannes the Armenian at al-
Yarmuk. I truly regret coming out against them. However, I will soon find a strategy
against them."

45) Constantine sends for an envoy

Constantine summoned the bishop of Caesarea who was highly honoured amongst
the Christians and said to him, "Go to the 'Arabs and speak to them in a sweet tone.

550

Part 5: Antioch

Tell them that Caesar's son asks that they send their most eloquent and brave man to
him who should not be of the low class 'Arabs."

The bishop, wearing a brocade robe with a hood of fur mounted a grey mule. He
carried a jewelled cross in his hand. He went to the Muslims and stopped at a distance
where they could hear him. He called out, "O 'Arabs, I am a messenger from
Caesar's son. He requests that you send to him your most eloquent and brave man.
By God! He does not wish to fight you because he is a scholar of religion and has
great foresight. He abhors bloodshed, deception and corruption. So do not aggress
against us. The aggressor is always defeated while his victim comes out victorious.
Christ has instructed us that we do not fight anyone except for the aggressor against
us. The prince now wishes you to send your most eloquent and brave man to him."

When he completed his speech 'Amr <& said, "O people, you have heard what this
uncircumcised one has said. Who amongst you will speak to the prince of Rome and
in so doing rush to the pleasure of Allah and His Rasul ®?"

Bilal bin Hamamah who used to give the athan for Rasulullah S came forward. He
was a tall, loud-voiced, black freed-slave who resembled a glittering palm tree. His
eyes blazed like two coals as if they were free of his sockets.

Bildl * : O 'Amr, I will go to him."

'Amr &, : O Bilal! You are still grief-stricken at the loss of Rasulullah ®. Also, you
are an African, not an 'Arab. 'Arabic has a large vocabulary, it rhymes and is
eloquent.

Bildl * : I ask you for the sake of Rasulullah <§> to let me go.

'Amr*& '■ You have asked me in the great name of a sacred person. Do not be scared
when speaking to him. Be eloquent in your answers and glorify the laws of Allah.

Bildl 4& : If Allah wills you will see me as you want me to be.

Bilal 4fe was as tall as a palm and had shoulders like the Shanuah tribesmen. His large
physique was enough to frighten any onlookers. That day he was wearing a shirt of
white Syrian cotton and a woollen turban. He strapped his sword, carried his
equipment on his shoulders and held his staff in his hand. The bishop disliked the
sight of him and said, "They trifle with us. We call them to speak to them and they
send a slave to us because they consider us to be petty. O slave, go and tell your
master that we wish to speak to one of your leaders."

551

Futuhushdm

Bildl 4b : O priest, I am Bilal the freed-slave. I used to call the athan for RasulullahS.
I am capable of answering your master.

Bishop : Stay here until I inform the prince about you.

He returned to Constantine and said, "O prince, they have sent one of their slaves to
speak to you. This is only because they look down upon us. He is after all, a black
slave."

Constantine sent this message to Bilal 4b, "O slave, tell your master that the prince
wishes to speak to one of your leaders."

Bilal 4b retorted, "O man, I am Bilal bin Hamamah and am capable of answering
your master."

The messenger informed Constantine who said, "Tell him to return and say that the
prince of Christianity asks if they really consider it worthy of him to speak to a mere
slave."

The translator returned to Bilal 4b and said, "O black one, the prince says to you that
we do not speak to slaves. The commander of your army or one of his deputies
should come to us."

Disappointed, BM1 4b returned to 'Amr '4b and informed him. 'Amr 4b turned to
Shurahbil %h and said, "I will go myself."

Shurahbil 4b : O slave of Allah, if you go then who will look after the Muslims?

'Amr 4k : Allah is most lenient towards His slaves and is most merciful on those who
show mercy to His creatures. Take the flag and represent me amongst my people. If
the Romans act treacherously then Allah remains over you.

Shurahbil 4b took the flag while the armoured 'Amr 4* went to the Romans. He wore
above his armour a long outer woollen garment with an open front and wide sleeves.
On his head he wore a yellow-dyed Yamani made turban and let the tail hang loose.
He had tied his belt and strapped both his sword and spear to him. When
Constantine's translator saw him he burst out laughing.

'Amr 4* : Why are you laughing at me, Christian brother?

Translator : You look so inferior. Also, you carry weapons! What are you going to do
with them when we do not intend fighting?

552

Part 5: Antioch

'Amr * : Carrying weapons is the mark of the 'Arab and his wealth without which
he does not go anywhere. I deliberately carry these weapons to show others. If I
should meet an enemy then I can defend myself.

Translator : No, treachery is the characteristic of you 'Arabs. You can be at ease with
us.

The translator went to inform Constantine of what 'Amr * had said, "O prince, the
commander of the 'Arabs has come," and proceeded to describe his appearance.

Constantine smiled at the bishop's* words and said, "Tell him to come to us."

*(It would appear to be that the bishop and the translator are one and the same
person - translator 's note)

He began to prepare for 'Amr's <fe coming and decorated the reception area and
ordered the priests to stand at his right and left while the chamberlains were to stand
in front of him.

The translator went to 'Amr & and said, "The prince permits you to come."

46) 'Amr 4k> and Constantine

'Amr 4s> came riding his horse and astonished the Romans at his appearance. Upon
reaching Constantine 's tent he dismounted and the chamberlains escorted him to
Constantine. Constantine smiled, brought him closer and welcomed him, "Welcome
to the commander of his people!"

He wanted to seat 'Amr & on the throne, but he refused and said, "Allah's carpet is
purer than your throne because Allah Most High has made the Earth a carpet and
made it permissible for all to use. We are therefore on equal terms upon it. I do not
wish to sit on anything besides that which Allah has permitted for me."

He then knelt on the ground, sword in front of him and spear on his left thigh.

Constantine : What is your name?

'Amr & : 'Amr. I am from amongst the 'Arab nobility who are lords of resolution
and are respected amongst their people.

Constantine : O 'Amr, you are a noble 'Arab youth. Your nation is the 'Arabs and my
nation is the Romans - two related nations. Relatives do not shed each other's blood.

553

Futuhusham

'Amr 4b : Even if we are related by blood the bonds of Islam are a higher relationship.
When there is a difference of religion amongst brothers then it becomes permissible
for one brother to slay the other. There is therefore an obstruction in the supposed
relation we have. But in the first place, how can you claim that we are related when
we are Quraysh and you are the sons of Rome?

Constantine : O 'Amr, are Adam, Nuh, and Ibrahim not our common ancestors? Our
ancestor is Tsu bin Ishaq and Ishaq is the brother of your ancestor, Isma'il. Both were
the sons of Ibrahim and it is not right that one brother commits aggression against
another. They should be generous towards each other.

'Amr 4t : You have spoken the truth. Tsu and we have common ancestry and Isma'il
is our forefather, may Allah's salutations be upon him. Nuh &S9 partitioned the Earth
after he became angry with his son, Ham, knowing that the descendants of Ham
would never be satisfied with the partition and they ended up fighting over it for a
long time. The truth is that this land does not belong to you but to the 'Amaliqah who
owned it before you. Nuh 8&SI had partitioned the Earth amongst his three sons, Sam,
Ham and Yafith and gave Sam the lands from Syria to Yaman, including Hadramawt
and Ghassan. The 'Arabs are all from him. This includes Qahtan, Tasm, Jadith and
'Amlaq the forefather of the 'Amaliqah. They were the kings of Syria and were real
'Arabs because their natural language was 'Arabic.

Ham was given the west and the coastal lands while Yafith was given the lands
between the east and west.

Verily the Earth belongs to Allah. He grants it as inheritance

to whomsoever He wills amongst His slaves and the good

result is for the pious. [7:128]

We now wish to restore the original partition and take the habitations and rivers
which are in your hands instead of our thorns, rocks and deserts.

Constantine now realised that 'Amr 4» was a wise man.

554

Part 5: Antioch

Constantine : All that you have said is true except that the partition no longer applies.
If you go against the new world order then you are nothing but rebels. I know for a
fact that it is only because of your difficulties that you were forced to leave your
homeland.

'Amr 4b : Yes, I can agree that difficulties also brought us out of our homeland. We
used to eat barley bread and maize. Now that we have seen your food and taken a
liking to it we will not leave you until we have snatched your lands from you,
enslaved you and rest under these tall trees with shady branches laden with fruit. If
you try to prevent us from that which we have tasted from your lands then we have
such men with us who are more eager to fight you than you are to live.

47) 'Amr £> invites the Romans to Islam

Constantine was lost for words. He looked at his people and said, "This 'Arab is
right. By the Churches! By the Communion! By Christ! By the Cross! We cannot
resist."

'Amr 4b then took the opportunity to invite them to Islam, "Allah Most Honourable
and Majestic has brought to you that which you were searching for all this time. If
you wish to hold onto your lands then simply enter our Din and verify what we say
for verily the only religion acceptable to Allah is Islam."

Constantine : O 'Amr, we will never abandon that religion upon which our fathers
and grandfathers died.

'Amr <& : Very well. If you refuse Islam then you will have to pay the Jizyah in a state
of humiliation on your behalf and your people's behalf.

Constantine : I cannot accept that also because the Romans will never comply. When
my father proposed to do that they wanted to kill him.

'Amr 4b : Then that is all I can offer you. I have warned you to the best of my ability
and now the only decision-maker between us can be the sword. Allah knows that I
called you to salvation but you transgressed just as your ancestor 'Isu transgressed
by hastening out of his mother's womb before his brother, Ya'qub.

You claim to be our relatives but we declare before Allah Most Honourable and
Majestic that we have nothing to do with you and your relationship because you deny
the Most Gracious Allah. You are from 'Isu and we are from Isma'il 8S3I. Allah chose
the best lineage for our Prophet ® right from Adam f&BI to his father, Abdullah. He

555

Futuhushdm

made the best of all Adam's SSB descendants Isma'il J&Bl He and his descendants
spoke 'Arabic while Ishaq SS3 spoke the language of his father. Then He made the
best of his descendants Kinanah. Then he made the best of all 'Arabs, Quraysh and
the best of Quraysh Banu Hashim. Then he made the best of Banu Hashim, Banu
'Abdil Muttalib and the best of Banu 'Abdil Muttalib our Prophet Muhammad S.
He sent him as a Prophet and Messenger. He sent Jibrail SsS to him with revelation
who said to him, "I roamed the east of the Earth and the west and did not see anyone
better than you."

The Romans quaked at the mention of Rasulullah & and terror entered Constantine's
heart due to 'Amr's & speech.

Constantine : True. God says that Prophets are sent from the best families of their
nations. O 'Amr, is there anyone else amongst your companions who is clear in
speech and swift in reply when he is questioned?

'Amr <fe : By Allah! I would love to fetch them to show such people to you.

He then jumped up and rode back to his camp. When the Muslims saw him they
praised Allah at his safe return and spent the night talking.

After leading them in Salatul Fajr 'Amr & ordered them to mount their horses to go
against the enemy. They mounted and arranged their battle-formation.

48) The Battle

'Urwah bin Zayd narrates from Musa, the freed-slave of the people of
jla^ramawt who narrates from Musa bin 'Imran and Ibn as.-§abbah:

Constantine divided his forces into three. He put the infantry in front and aligned the
left and right-wings. He raised a cross and went at the head of the army. 'Amr *fe
watched him. He had put his troops into formation and was intent on fighting. He
completed the preparations of the Muslims and arranged them in one single row. In
the right-wing he placed Sahabah 4> who were defenders of the Din such as Shurahbil
bin Hasanah &, the scribe of revelation. Sabun bin Jabayah al-Laythi, the famous
Muslim horseman was in command of the left-wing.

A horseman suddenly emerged from the Roman ranks wearing brocade, armour and
arm protection as well as a golden cross around his neck. He launched a violent
attack with his spear from the right-wing to the left-wing, back to the right- wing and

556

Part 5: Antioch

then on the centre. He then paused and faced the Muslim army. He planted his spear
in the ground, took out his bow and inserted an arrow. He fired at a man in the right-
wing and wounded him. He then fired at another man in the left-wing and killed him.

' Amr <$> saw this and shouted, "Can you not see what this accursed Christian is doing
with his bow? Who will suffice us against him and rid us of his evil?"

A man of Thaqif came out wearing a dirty cloak. He carried a bow with him with an
inserted arrow. The Roman saw that he wore no iron protection, only dirty fur and
had no weapon besides the bow. He looked down upon him and his clothing but fired
an arrow anyway. Despite the accursed one being the best archer of that time his
arrow became entangled in the Thaqafi's fur and did him no harm. The Roman was
furious. This was the first time in his life that he had not hit his target. He was about
to fire a second arrow when the Thaqafi shot an arrow which he could not see
because it was so small and light. Nevertheless it penetrated his throat and emerged
from his nape. When the Roman dropped down dead the Thaqafi jumped on his
horse, snatched his helmet and dragged the corpse to the Muslim camp. The
Thaqafi's cousin came to welcome him, but he was so excited that he did not reply
to him. The Thaqafi went and gave 'Amr *> the spoils.

The Romans could hardly contain their rage at what he had done. We saw them
pointing at the sky and understood that they were saying that the angels help us.
Constantine took this incident very badly and said to a patrician, "Go and defend
your religion against these 'Arabs."

49) My reliance upon Allah is stronger than your iron

The patrician left for the Muslims. He wore green brocade, strong armour, arm
protection and a golden cross around his neck. His slave-boy was behind him with a
spare horse. He carried a sword and a shield. When he paused between the two
armies and issued his challenge, the Muslims looked at him, but none accepted.

'Amr 4&. called out, "O 'Arabs, who will fight him, gifting his life to Allah the Most
Honourable and Majestic?"

An 'Arab came and said, "I will."

"May Allah bless you in that," replied 'Amr &.

The Muslim left silently until he came face to face with the Roman. The two circled
each other for a while, swords lashing out. Eventually the Roman managed a faster

557

Futuhusham

strike and reached beyond the Muslim's blow. The Muslim raised his shield of camel
leather which the Roman cut into two halves but left his foe unharmed. The Muslim
then struck out and cut through the patrician's helmet. The patrician stepped back and
saved himself. Once he had caught his breath he attacked and badly wounded the
Muslim who retreated to his companions.

His cousin called out, "He who gifts his life does not run from the enemy."

"Is this wound which I have suffered not enough for us?" he retorted, "Allah will
blame me for casting myself into destruction."

Although the wound was becoming worse he became affected by what his cousin had
said. The cousin then said, "Take this helmet to protect your head."

"My reliance upon Allah is stronger than your iron," he replied and sauntered off to
the enemy, reciting:

Lij <JL*->-Li ,^-yJl IJL» tiUjj L2JU r-jj_i«Jl JL^p ^ Jj-JLj

He says to me as I go to the enemy,

"Take this for protection and safety"

"From the evil Disbeliever, sin and transgression he does both! "

In the name of Allah I take a true oath

I will never wear that helmet,

But will enter Jannah where I will be met.

The Muslims began making du'a for him, "O Allah, fulfil his desires."

The duel resumed. The Muslim lashed out such a horrendous blow at the Roman's
shoulder that he killed him. He then attacked the Roman army itself bringing down
many a champion before he attained martyrdom. May Allah's mercy be upon him.

'Amr * commented, "This is a man who bought Jannah with his life. O Allah, fulfil
his desires."

558

Part 5: Antioch

50) We will meet at the pond of Rasulullah S

When Heraclius had sent Constantine to Caesarea he sent the patrician Cidamon with
him. Cidamon was amongst the greatest Roman horsemen and it was said that he was
Constantine 's maternal cousin. He had campaigned against the Persians, the Turks
and the Jaramiqah. The accursed one knew all their languages.

He said to Constantine, "I have to go and fight the 'Arabs myself," and left wearing
his upper-body armour. When the Muslims saw this giant of a man as if he was a
mountain collapsing from its top down to its bottom and who glittered with jewels
they shouted, "La ilaha illallah!" He paused in the middle of the battlefield and
issued his challenge in his language. The 'Arabs rushed at him from every direction
desiring what he was wearing.

'Amr 4k called out, "Allah's reward is better for you than that which is on him.
Nobody should go with the intention of getting his spoils because then his action
becomes for the sake of that. I heard Rasulullah S say that he whose migration is
towards Allah and His Rasul then his migration is towards Allah and His Rasul and
he who whose migration is for the sake of the world or to a woman whom he wants
to marry then his migration is for whatever he set out for."

There was in the army a young boy <& from Yaman who had a mother and sister. They
intended settling in Syria. His sister had said to him, "Make an effort for us to reach
Syria so that we may eat of her fruits and luxuries."

"But I will go solely to fight for the pleasure of Allah Most Honourable and
Majestic," he replied, "I heard Mu'ath bin Jabal & saying that the martyrs receive
sustenance from their Rabb."

"How can they receive sustenance when they are dead?" she asked.

He said, "I heard Rasulullah is saying that Allah Most High makes their souls in the
forms of birds in Jannah. They eat of its fruits and drink from its rivers. Their souls
fly around in those forms. That is the sustenance which Allah makes for them."

Now at the battle of Caesarea he bid his mother and sister farewell and said, "We will
meet at the pond of Rasulullah S." He then left for the battle on a lowly horse and
carried a spear which had knots as he had repaired it in many places. The boy
immediately attacked the patrician and thrust his spear at him but it became stuck in
his armour. Cidamon cut the spear into pieces with his sword and attacked back. He
split the boy's skull open in a single blow. The boy died, may Allah have mercy upon

559

Futuhusham

him. Cidamon pranced about the body and challenged the Muslims to duel him.
When Ibn Qatham responded he killed him too.

These sights made Shurahbil bin Hasanah 4b reprimand himself, "Do you find
delight in the killing of Muslims?"

He then went with the same flag which Abu Bakr 4& had tied for him on the day that
he had left for Syria. When 'Amr 4» saw what he was intending to do he said, "O
slave of Allah, plant the flag so that it does not hinder you."

He planted the flag which was like a palm tree. It broke into a rock as if was part of
it. He took this to be a sign of victory. He left with the Muslims making du'a for his
victory.

Cidomon burst out laughing at his appearance. The accursed one had a loud voice
and had a mighty physique while Shurahbil <& was quite thin due to excessive fasting
and remaining awake at night to stand in Salah. The combat began with the clashing
of their swords. Shurahbil 4i> was the first to get a blow through, but it merely
bounced off Cidamon's armour and the sword ended up stuck in his helmet. Cidamon
immediately retaliated and wounded Shurahbil <&. The two then circled each other
on their horses.

51) Repentance of Tulayhah

Sa'id bin Rawh narrates:

It was a cold, cloudy day. In the middle of their combat it began raining in torrents
so they dismounted and wrestled in the mud. Cidamon punched Shurahbil * in the
stomach, threw him flat on the ground and then sat on his chest intending to strangle
him. Shurahbil 4t called put, "O Helper of those who seek help!"

He had hardly finished calling out when suddenly a horseman came galloping to
them from the Roman side. He was wearing golden armour and rode on a
magnificent horse. Cidamon thought that the Roman was bringing him the horse and
had come to help him.

When he came near them he dismounted and kicked Cidamon off Shurahbil 4& and
said, "O slave of Allah, help has come to you from the Helper of those who seek
help."

560

Part 5: Antioch

Shurahbil * jumped and stared in amazement at his action and words. The veiled
Roman then unsheathed his sword and beheaded Cidamon. He then said, "O slave of
Allah, take the spoils."

Shurahbil 4* : By Allah! Nothing has ever amazed me as much as you do! I saw you
coming from the Roman army!

Roman : I am the wretched one who is far from Allah's mercy. I am Tulayhah bin
Khuwaylid who claimed prophethood after the demise of Rasulullah &. I denied
Allah and claimed that revelation came to me from Heaven.

Shurahbil * : O brother!

Verily Allah s mercy is close to those who do good. [7:56]

Indeed his mercy encompasses, everything, so whoever repents and turns towards
Allah He accepts his repentance and forgives him. Rasulullah H said that repentance
wipes out whatever may have happened before it. O Ibn Khuwaylid, do you not know
that when Allah Most Pure and High revealed:

And My mercy encompasses everything. [7:156]
Everyone, even the devil, hoped for His mercy. So He then revealed:

I shall ordain My mercy for those who are pious and pay the Zakdh. [7:156]

When the Jews then said, "We pay Zakah and voluntary charity besides that," Allah
revealed:

561

Futuhushdm

And those who believe in Our signs. [7:156]

The Jews then said, "We believe in what has been revealed in the scriptures and the
Torah," so to show them that this mercy is exclusively for the Ummah of Muhammad
® He revealed:

UH\ <pi J^ljJi <^^fi o^ (

Those who follow the unlettered Messenger-Prophet. [7:156]

Tulayhah : I have no face to return to Islam.

He wanted to leave but Shurahbil & stopped him.

Shurahbil * : O Tulayhah, I will not allow you to leave! You shall return with me to
the army.

Tulayhah : Nothing stops me from coming with you except I fear that I will be killed
by that harsh, hard-hearted man, Khalid bin al-Walid.

Shurahbil * : O brother, he is not with us. This is the army of 'Amr bin al-'As.

So he went with Shurahbil &. When they came near the camp the Muslims rushed to
them and asked, "O Shurahbil, who is this man with you? What a wonderful favour
he did to you."

They did not recognise him because he was still veiled with the tail of his turban.

Shurahbil & : This is Tulayhah who had claimed prophethood.

Muslims : Has he repented and returned to Allah?

Tulayhah : I repent unto Allah Most Pure and High.

Shurahbil * then took him to Amr & who smiled at him and welcomed him.

562

Part 5: Antioch

52) History of Tulayhah

Hassan bin 'Ulnar ar-Raba'T narrates from his grandfather:

When Tulayhah claimed prophethood Khalid 4& had waged Jihad against him.
Tulayhah heard that he had already killed Musaylamah the false prophet and likewise
al-Aswad al-'Anasi had been killed. Tulayhah now feared that Khalid 4s> would kill
him, so he fled at night with his wife to Syria.

He sought the protection of a man from the Kalb tribe. The Muslim Kalbi granted
him protection and took him to his house. Tulayhah remained with him for a time.
One day the Kalbi asked him about his life. Tulayhah confessed everything about his
claim to prophethood and his war with Khalid 4». The enraged Kalbi immediately
evicted him and Tulayhah was forced to stay elsewhere in Syria although he had
already renounced his false claim.

When he heard that Abu Bakr 4* had died he asked, "The one against whom I drew
the sword has died. Who rules in his place?"

He was told, "'Umar bin al-Khattab."

"Harsh and hard-hearted!" exclaimed Tulayhah and feared to go to him. He also
feared that if Khalid 4t> should find him in Syria he would kill him. He therefore went
to Caesarea intending to board a ship there and sail to some island. When he saw
Constantine's army marching against the Muslims he said, "I will join this army
Perhaps I will get an opportunity to divert them and in so doing wash away some of
my burden and gain closeness to Allah and the Muslims."

When he saw Shurahbil 4* on the brink of destruction he said, "How can I be patient
in a situation like this?" and went to the rescue.

'Amr 4% now thanked him and assured him that his repentance would be accepted.

Tulayhah : O 'Amr, I fear that if Khalid sees me in Syria he will kill me.

'Amr 4* '■ I will show you how to protect yourself in this world and the next.

Tulayhah : How?

Amr 4& : I will write a letter certifying what you did and include the testimony of the
Muslims. Take the letter to 'Umar and declare your repentance in front of him. He

563

Futuhushdm

will accept it and encourage you to conquer and kill and to fight the Romans in order
to make up for your sins.

Tulayhah accepted this and 'Amr &> wrote the letter.

Tulayhah took the letter and walked all the way to al-Madinah. He did not find
'Umar there and was told that he had gone to Makkah. He went on until he found him
holding onto the cover of the Ka'bah. He joined him in this and said, "O Commander
of the Believers, I swear by the Rabb of this House that I repent unto Allah Most
Honourable and Majestic from my past."

'Umar & : Who are you?

Tulayhah : Tulayhah bin Khuwaylid.

'Umar turned away from him and said, "Woe unto you! If I should pardon you then
what happens tomorrow in front of Allah with regard to the blood of 'Ukashah bin
Mihsan al-Asadi?"

Tulayhah : O Commander of the Believers, 'Ukashah was a man whom Allah blessed
with martyrdom through me and through whom I became wretched. I hope that Allah
will forgive what I have done.

He then gave him 'Amr's 4b letter. Once 'Umar & had read it he became happy and
said, "Rejoice because Allah is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful," and ordered him
to remain in Makkah until he returned to al-Madinah. He remained with 'Umar <& for
a few days until he returned to al-Madinah. There he sent him to fight the Persians.

53) Constantine flees

Shurahbil * was saved when Tulayhah killed Cidamon and he returned to 'Amr •&-
It started raining so hard that the battle was called off. The Muslims suffered because
most of them had no tents or houses so they withdrew to al-Jabiyah where they took
shelter in the houses there.

Through the mercy of Allah Constantine's heart was now seized with fear when he
saw the killing of Cidamon who was a pillar of support for him. He ordered his men
to return to Caesarea and said, "O Romans, you know that the legions of al-Yarmuk
could not withstand these 'Arabs and that my father has fled to Constantinople out
of fear of them. They have conquered all of Syria except for this little coastal region

564

Part 5: Antioch

and I fear that we may be destroyed before the rest of the region. I would therefore
prefer to withdraw rather than to remain here."

His men agreed and they left that night with the rain pouring on them.

Sa'id bin Jabir al-Awsi narrates:

That was entirely Allah's mercy to the Muslims. On the fourth day the rain stopped
and the sun shone. We left al-Jabiyah to fight the Romans but found no trace of them
but by Allah, we were more pleased at seeing the sun than at their retreat.

'Amr &> then wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah •$>:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

From : 'Amr bin al- 'As as-Sahmi

To : The Chief Commander of the Muslim armies, Abu 'Ubaydah
'Amir bin al-Jarrdh.

Saldm 'alayka wa rahmatulldhi wa barakdtuhu.

Companion ofRasululldh S/

Constantine brought 80, 000 Romans against us and we clashed
at Nakhl. Shurahbil was captured by Cidamon, Heraclius's
maternal cousin. Allah freed him by means of Tulayhah bin
Khuwalid al-Asadi who killed Cidamon. I then sent him with a
letter to 'Umar bin al-Khattab.

Constantine, the enemy of Allah, has fled.

1 await your reply.

Peace, Allah s blessings and mercy be upon you and all the
Muslims with you.

He sent the letter with Jabir bin Sa'id al-Hadrami. Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> was pleased at
the safety of the Muslims and replied:

565

Futuhusham

As soon as you receive my letter attack Caesarea. I will be heading towards Tyre,
Acre and Tripoli.

Was-saldm.

He gave the letter to Jabir bin Sa'id for delivery.

54) Yuqanna's ambush

Abu 'Ubaydah 4& now intended marching on the coast. 'Abdullah Yuqanna stood to
address him, "O commander, Allah Most Honourable and Majestic has destroyed the
Polytheists and raised the banner of the Monotheists. Permit me to go ahead of you
to the coast. It may be that I can conclude a successful campaign."

Abu 'Ubaydah <& : O 'Abdullah, if you do something to get closer to Allah you will
find Him. Go as you wish.

Yuqanna took his 4,000 men who used to serve him in Aleppo and had all now
embraced Islam. There was also in the 'Arab army a separate division of 3,000
Roman converts with their own commander.

Constantine had fled to Caesarea where he fortified himself. The people of Tripoli
wrote to him requesting reinforcements. He therefore sent 3,000 men to Tripoli.
When the reinforcements were nearing Tripoli they stopped at a meadow to let their
horses graze. While they were there Yuqanna and his men came across them.
Falantius and his men who were on their way to Baytul Muqaddas to settle down
there also accompanied Yuqanna. The Roman commander, Garfius, saw these
Muslims who were still dressed as Romans. He personally went to go and
investigate. He welcomed them and asked, "Who are you?"

The Muslims replied, "We are those who sought the protection of the 'Arabs thinking
them to be correct but soon discovered their evil ways. They are but irreligious
sinners. We have now fled from them in order to save our faith. We are made up of
men from Aleppo, Qinsarin, 'Azaz, Darim and Antioch who are fleeing to the
protection of Caesar."

Garfius rejoiced at this and said, "Dismount and rest here with us for a while from
all your fatigue. No doubt you were riding day and night out of fear of the 'Arabs."

Yuqanna : Where are you going?

Garfius : Constantine is sending us to Tripoli.

566

Part 5: Antioch

Yuqanna : Be alert. When we left the commander of the 'Arabs, Abu 'Ubaydah 4h,
he was intending to march on the coast.

Garfius : What use is your warning for us when our Empire has been vanquished and
our days are numbered? We do not see the Cross benefiting its people in any way.

The Muslims dismounted and stayed with the Romans for a while. The Romans
presented them with food which they ate. When they remounted to depart Garfius
wanted to accompany them, but Yuqanna said to him, "Stay with your men and let
them dress in their best clothing for that will cause awe in the hearts of your enemy."

54) Conquest of Tripoli

Salim bin 'Amir narrates from Nawfal bin 'Abdillah who narrates from Jarir
bin al-Buka who was the most knowledgeable man on the conquest of Syria:

Yuqanna entered the coastal region with a scheme in mind. 200 'Arab households
under the leadership of al-Harth bin Salim had entered the coastal region in order to
find grazing pasture for their camels. Yuqanna raided them. He captured them and
had them shackled. When night fell he gathered them and said, "Do not think that I
have left Islam. This is a scheme of mine to let the Romans hear that I raided the
'Arabs and captured them."

The 'Arabs now felt at ease and said to him, "If you do this to establish the Din then
Allah will certainly grant you victory over the enemy."

Yuqanna then appointed a man to bring the captured goods with them.

When Garfius witnessed all this he felt that he could trust Yuqanna. Yuqanna found
out that they were heading for Tripoli. So when he left the Romans, he and his men
left the Tripoli road and hid at night in ambush. Garfius divided whatever goods his
army had amongst his men and waited until nightfall to let the horses finish grazing.
They then mounted and travelled on.

When the middle of the Roman party passed them, the Muslims sprang out and
surrounded them. They also sent out horsemen to retrieve any stray Roman and killed
or captured them all.

Yuqanna now wanted to release al-Harth and his people but the chief replied, "My
view is that you keep us like this. Great reward has been obtained from Allah. Take

567

Futuhushdm

us to the cities of the enemy in this condition for Allah will conquer for you whatever
city you will go to like this."

"A good view," replied Yuqanna.

He then gave orders for the prisoners to be tied and ordered 2,000 of his men and
Falantius's men to remain in the ambush place until he called for them. He then
dressed 3,000 of his men like the soldiers of Caesarea and left with them for Tripoli.

Everyone came out of Tripoli to welcome Yuqanna because they thought this to be
the army Constantine had sent. He had written to them, "I am sending 3,000
horsemen under Garfius son of Saliba."

Yuqanna and his men entered the administration building and all the patricians,
elders and prominent men came to see him. Once they had all gathered he had them
all arrested and said, "O people of Tripoli, verily Allah Most Pure has helped Islam
and its people. We were living a dark life, bowing before the cross and worshipping
pictures and the Communion. We ascribed unto Allah a wife and son. He then sent
these 'Arabs to us who showed us guidance and so we joined them through the
blessings of their Prophet & who is the Prophet whom Allah has mentioned in the
Torah and whom Christ SSSl prophesied about. Verily Islam is the Truth. It is complete
honesty. They order the good, forbid the bad, establish prayer, pay charity, speak only
the truth, are sincere, take Allah to be one, deny him to have wife or son and they
wage Jihad in His Path as He had ordered His Messengers and Prophets before. Now
either you accept Islam or pay the Jizyah. Failing that, I will send you as slaves to
the Arabs. This is all I have to say Greetings to you all."

They now realised that Yuqanna had overcome them and must have overpowered
Constantine's men enroute. They said, "O sir, we will obey you."

Some of them embraced Islam while others agreed to pay Jizyah, but Yuqanna was
fair to them all and summoned his remaining men. They untied the prisoners and
offered them Islam, but they refused so were kept in captivity.

Yuqanna wrote to Abu 'Ubaydah 4& about all this. He sent the letter with al-Harth
bin Salim of al-Ahmar Valley and said to him, "O slave of Allah, be the bearer of glad
tidings to the commander."

"I will do that if Allah Most High wills," he replied.

When he reached Abu 'Ubaydah 4s> he made salam and gave him the letter. Abu
'Ubaydah 4& read the letter and rejoiced. He asked, "Did you not ask me for

568

Part 5: Antioch

permission for your tribe to settle in al-Ahmar Valley? How did you end up in
Tripoli?"

"Allah's decree and predestination sent me to Tripoli," he replied, "Yuqanna raided
us and took us prisoner. . ."

He continued with the story which amazed Abu 'Ubaydah <$>. He said, "O Allah, keep
them firm and help them."

'Amir bin Aws narrates from Ibn Salim who narrates from Musa bin Malik:

When the rain stopped 'Amr bin al-'As * departed from al-Jabiyah and camped at
the gates of Caesarea. As for Yuqanna, after he had conquered Tripoli and inspected
its walls and gates he set his men at the gate and instructed, "Do not let anyone out
of the gates."

There were many ships in the harbour which he grounded and confiscated. Nobody
in the coastal lands knew about these events.

After a few days a fleet of about fifty ships arrived at Tripoli. Yuqanna allowed them
to land and when most of the sailors had disembarked he summoned them and asked,
"Where are you from?"

The sailors replied, "We are from Cyprus and Crete. We are taking equipment and
weapons for Prince Constantine."

Yuqanna pretended to be pleased and said, "I also wish to go with you."

He then ordered them to be taken to the guesthouse and also sent for the captains.

They were all entertained. After they had all eaten he said, "I wish to send with you
some provisions, fodder and weapons in service of the prince but you will have to
stay here for me to complete my preparations."

"O sir," exclaimed the sailors, "We are in a hurry as it is and fear that the prince will
reprimand us. We will not be able to bear his rebuke."

Yuqanna however insisted until they agreed. He then said, "As an assurance I would
prefer that you drop your sails and oars and stay here in the city."

They agreed to this also and anchored near the city walls. All of them except three
disembarked.

569

Futuhushdm

Yuqanna easily seized the ships. He appointed Falantius, his cousins and al-Harth bin
Salim over the city while he filled the ships with his own men. He was about to
embark at sunset when he saw Khalid & arriving with 1,000 horsemen. Yuqanna fell
into prostration out of gratitude and handed the city over to him. He told him what
had happened and also appraised him of his next scheme. "May Allah help you/'
replied Khalid &■

Yuqanna then set sail that night.

56) Yuqanna is betrayed

By morning the Muslim fleet had arrived at Tyre which was governed by Armuyil
son of Nashta. Tyre had a garrison of 4,000. Yuqanna ordered gongs to be beaten and
the flags to be unfurled. The harbour master went to report to the governor, "They
are from Crete and Cyprus. They are taking fodder, food and equipment to Caesarea
for Constantine."

The people rejoiced and told them to disembark.

Yuqanna disembarked with 900 men whom he had personally selected. The governor
prepared a great feast for them and presented the leaders with robes. Yuqanna was
waiting for night to arrive in order to launch the attack. He had left some men on the
ships and said, "If we are not successful you are not to disembark but sail straight
back to Khalid .& and tell him what happened."

I (al-W&qidi) have never heard a more amazing story than this! Ibn Muzahim
narrated to me from al-Arqat bin 'Amir who narrated from Yasir ar-Raba'i:

After Yuqanna and his 900 men arrived in Tyre and had eaten and their leaders had
received robes from the governor, one of Yuqanna 's cousins secretly approached the
governor. This cousin had misguidance established in his heart and disbelief
encompassed the very substance of his body. He told the governor the truth about
Yuqanna and what he was planning. He told him that he said that Yuqanna was a
Muslim who fought for the 'Arabs against the Romans and that he had already
conquered Tripoli where he had captured Caesar's man, Germanius.

Armuyil acted immediately and took his men to arrest the Muslims. A great clamour
was raised. When the sailors heard this they realised that their comrades had been
caught. They became greatly depressed and they now feared for themselves.

570

Part 5: Antioch

Armuyil placed 1 ,000 guards over the Muslim prisoners and said, "Take them to the
prince so that he may do with them as he pleases."

The guards began rebuking the prisoners, "What did you possibly see in the religion
of the 'Arabs to make you follow them and abandon your faith, the faith of your
forefathers? Christ has flung you away from his door and distanced you from him."

They were about to take them to Constantine when shouting was heard at the gates.
The people of the villages around Tyre were fleeing to the city. When they were
questioned they replied, "The 'Arabs have come."

When 'Amr bin al-'As «fc arrived at Caesarea, Yazid bin Abi Sufyan & started
marching on Tyre. When Armuyil heard that he had arrived he ordered the gates to
be locked and had the walls and towers manned. He had the prisoners taken to the
castle to ensure that they would not attempt anything. The Christians spent the night
guarding and keeping fires lit on the walls. They danced and drank the night away.

Yazid bin Abi Sufyan * arrived in the morning. When the governor saw how few the
Muslims were he entertained hopes of defeating them and said, "By Christ! I will
certainly go and fight this small speck of an army and wipe them out."

Armuyil got dressed and ordered his men out. He left his cousin, Basil, behind to
guard the Muslims.

57) Basil and Rasulullah S

Basil had read the previous revealed scriptures and reports from the past and had seen
Rasulullah & at the monastery of Buhayrah the monk. Basil was visiting Buhayrah
when the caravan of the Quraysh and the camels of Khadijah bint Khuwaylid arrived.
Buhayrah looked at the caravan and saw Rasulullah S in the middle with a cloud
above him, shading him from the sun. When he realised what he was seeing he
exclaimed, "By God! This is the description of the Prophet who will be sent from the
lowlands of 'Arabia."

The Quraysh halted and dismounted while Rasulullah went on his own. He went to
lean against a dried out tree which suddenly sprouted leaves. When Buhayrah
witnessed this he invited the Quraysh for a meal. They all entered the monastery
except Rasulullah ® who had remained behind to tend to the camels. When
Buhayrah saw that he was missing he asked, "O Quraysh, is anyone left behind?"

571

Futuhushdm

Quraysh : Yes, one of us remained behind to guard the caravan and tend to the
camels.

Buhayrah : What is his name?

Quraysh : Muhammad bin 'Abdillah.

Buhayrah : Have his parents died?

Quraysh : Yes.

Buhayrah : Did his grandfather and uncle foster him?

Quraysh : Yes.

Buhayrah : O Quraysh, by God! He is your chief through whom your prestige will
be raised throughout the world.

Quraysh : How do you know this?

Buhayrah : When you came there was no rock or stone except that they fell down in
prostration to him.

Basil always remained thereafter perplexed at this matter but he knew that Buhayrah
never lied. Now that Armuyil had put him in charge of the prisoners he said to
himself, "Islam is the truth about which Buhayrah had predicted. Perhaps Allah will
forgive me if I free these people."

Allah had made a wonderful arrangement for His believing slaves in that all the
youth of Tyre left to fight Yazid *fe and none remained behind except the commoners.
These commoners climbed the walls to watch the outcome of the battle. When Basil
saw that the city was deserted and that all the people were busy with the battle he
confirmed his decision to free the Muslims. He went at night and addressed Yuqanna,
"O prince, why did you leave the religion of your fathers and grandfathers for the
religion of these 'Arabs? What truth did you see to make you follow them whereas
the Romans used to regard you as a firm ally?"

Yuqanna : O Basil, that same truth which has become apparent to you became
apparent to me. I heard a voice saying, "He Who guided you to His Din will free you"
The voice then continued to say that you would be the means of our escape.

This made Basil even firmer in his belief.

572

Part 5: Antioch

Basil : Allah has made your tongue speak the truth. Allah removed the veils of
forgetfulness ever since I saw Rasulullah A at Buhayrah's monastery. He was
amongst the caravan of the Quraysh.

Amongst the signs of his prophethood which I witnessed was that as he travelled the
trees would follow him and a cloud above his head shaded him. He leaned against a
dry tree which immediately sprouted leaves. Buhayrah told me that he had learned
that a group of prophets had leaned against that very tree and sat around it but it never
sprouted for them. For Rasulullah S however it sprouted leaves and ripe fruit! I was
amazed at that. I also heard Buhayrah say, "By God! This is the one about whom
Christ had prophesied. Glad tidings to him who follows him, believes in him and
verifies him."

After my visit to the monk I went on business to Constantinople and travelled over
the Empire and settled down for as long as Allah willed. After a while I went to
Caesarea where I saw that the Romans were highly agitated. Upon enquiry it was
said to me, "A prophet called Muhammad bin 'Abdillah has appeared in al-Hijaz. His
people expelled him from Makkah and so he went to the city which the Tubba' built.
He has now conquered his people."

I kept on asking about him and his news continued increasing until he passed away.
His Companion, Abu Bakr &, then succeeded him and despatched armies to Syria.
He only remained for a short while before he died. 'Umar & then came to power and
conquered our cities and defeated our armies. All this time I was waiting for them to
arrive here at the coast until now at last Allah has brought them.

58) Conquest ofiyre

Yuqanna : What have you decided upon?

Basil : By Allah! I have decided to leave my people and join you because the truth is
clear.

He then freed Yuqanna and his men and equipped and armed them. He said to
Yuqanna, "I have the keys of the city gate and the army has left to fight the 'Arabs.
There is no one to fear in the city. Rise in the name of Allah."

Yuqanna : May Allah reward you well. He has guided you to His Din and the road
of salvation and sealed you with goodness. We will now have to show ourselves and
send for our men on the ships so that we may become a single hand.

573

Futuhushdm

Basil : I will do that.

Basil and one of Yuqanna's clansmen went and opened the harbour gates. They
reached the ships on a rowboat and informed the Muslims what had happened. The
Muslims therefore followed the two and sailed to the harbour and disembarked. They
entered Tyre and Allah kept the Disbelievers blind.

When the Muslims wanted to attack Yuqanna prohibited them and said, "That is not
a good idea. I need a volunteer who will gift his life for Allah Most Honourable and
Majestic. He should secretly leave the gate for the Muslim army and tell the
commander about us so that if anyone hears us they must not be frightened but must
continue fighting the army outside."

A man volunteered and left. Basil locked the gates behind him. The volunteer
reached and informed Yazid <*> who fell into prostration out of gratitude and ordered
his men to be prepared for a sudden attack on the enemy.

When Yuqanna, upon whom be Allah's mercy, heard that the Muslims had received
his information he said to his men, "500 of you will climb the walls and whoever is
thereon."

Basil protested, "That is not a good idea. They are only civilians who do not affect
us. Perhaps Allah will guide them to Islam. Rather, order your men to seize the steps
leading up to the walls so that they cannot descend and will be forced to beg for
immunity."

Yuqanna agreed to this and appointed men to seize the steps. He and his men then
shouted, "La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah!" Whoever was in the city or on
the walls heard this and understood that the prisoners had escaped. They lost then-
senses and their hearts were anxious about their children and families. They were
utterly confused.

When Yazid & heard the clamour he understood that the Muslims had arisen in the
city. He proclaimed, "Allahu Akbar!" and the Muslims responded, "Allahu Akbar!
La ilaha illallah!"

When the governor heard the clamour he too understood that the prisoners had
escaped and they were the cause of the noise. Fear gripped the Romans' hearts. As
they gazed at the Muslims' fires and saw them preparing for an assault they lost their
patience. Their hearts broke to think of their lost wealth and children in the city while
Caesar's son was sitting safely in Caesarea and had failed to help them. They turned
and fled with the Muslims in hot pursuit. Their tents and their contents were taken.

574

Part 5: Antioch

In the morning Yuqanna opened the gates and Yazid & and his army entered Tyre
and took all the wealth of the Romans. The people were still on the walls and now
asked for immunity which was granted to them. When they all came down Yazid 4±
said to them, "Allah Most Honourable and Majestic has conquered your city for us
by the sword so legally you are now all our slaves. Whatever we decide to do to you
we can do. However, when we make an agreement we always fulfil it and when we
speak we speak the truth. We have granted you the safety of your lives but whoever
amongst you refuses Islam will have to pay Jizyah. As for those who do accept Islam
then they have the same rights and duties as us."

The people accepted these terms and the majority accepted Islam.

59) Conquest of Caesarea

When Constantine heard that Tyre had been conquered he knew that his time was up.
He wasted no time in fleeing. At night he loaded all his wealth, treasure, hoards and
servants onto ships and set sail for Constantinople. When the people of Caesarea saw
this they came out and offered their surrender to 'Amr bin al-'As & who accepted
their surrender on payment of a 100,000 dinar fine and whatever wealth and men
Constantine had left behind. This they accepted. 'Amr 4b wrote the treaty for them
and entered Caesarea. He took whatever the prince had left behind and fixed the
Jizyah payable from the following year at four Dinars as 'Umar 4b had instructed
him.

He then sent a part of the army to Tyre under Yasir bin 'Ammar bin Salamah &, an
old man who had witnessed the battles of Hunayn and an-Nadrr with Rasulullah &.
Malik bin 'Awn an-Nadirf had killed his brother at Hunayn.

'Amr 4h> entered Caesarea on a Wednesday of the first ten days of Rajab 19 Hijri.
When this news spread the remaining cities all surrendered: ar-Ramlah, Acre,
Ascalon, Nablus, Tiberias, Bayrut, Jabalah and al-Lathiqiyah.

Thus Allah made the Muslims masters of all Syria through
the blessings of the Chief of all the Messengers,

575

Futuhusham

Through the blessings of Allah 3fe this translation was completed in Shawwdl 1423
Hijri (in 101 days). May Allah accept it

Translator
Sulayman al-Kindi

576

Appendices

A 'Arabic names

B List of names

C Syntax of names

D Transliteration

E Yaztd and Caesarea

Appendix A: 'Arabic names

Readers unfamiliar with the 'Arabic name system might be confused with one
individual being addressed with different names. To know the translations of certain
words used in this system would be useful:

Abu or Abi : Father (of)...

Al : Definite article i.e. "the". If the word has the "i" of association at the end then it
usually indicates association with a particular tribe or place etc. For example al-
Makhzumi means one of the Makhzum clan.

Banu or Bant : Sons (of). . . This indicates a tribal name.

Bin or Ibn : Son (of). . .

Bint: Daughter (of)...

Mawld : Freed-slave (of)...

Umm : Mother (of)...

Example: Khalid's <& full name is Abu Sulayman Khalid bin al-Walid al-Makhzumi
&>. This means that Khalid is the father of Sulayman and son of al-Walid of the
Makhzum clan. He is therefore alternatively called Ibn al-Walid or Abu Sulayman.

577

Futuhusham

Appendix B: List of Names

To help alleviate the confusion which might be caused by a single personality being
called by several names a list a full names of certain Sahabah & appearing in this
book is provided:

1 . Aban bin Sa'id bin al-' As al-Umawi

2. 'Abdullah bin Ja'far bin Abi Jalib al-Hashimi

3. 'Abdullah bin Quit al-Azdi

4. Abu 'Abdillah 'Amr ibn al-'As as-Sahmi

5. Abu 'Abdillah Jabir bin 'Abdillah as-Sulami

6. Abu 'Abdillah Mu'ath bin Jabal al-Khazraji

7. Abu 'Abdillah 'Uthman bin 'Affan al-Umawi

8. Abu 'Abdillah az-Zubayr bin al-'Awwam al-Asadi

9. Abu 'Amr Jarir bin 'Abdillah al-Bujali

10. Abu Bakr 'Abdullah al'Atiq bin 'Uthman Abi Quhafah at-Taymi

1 1 . Abu al-Fadl al-'Abbas bin ' Abdil Muttalib al-Hashimi

12. Abu Hafs 'Umar * bin al-Khattab al-'Adawi

13. Abu al-Hasan 'Ali bin Abi Talib al-Hashimi

14. Abfl Hurayrah 'Abdurahman bin Sakhr ad-Dawsi

1 5 . Abu Khalid Yazid bin Abi Sufyan al-Umawi

1 6. Abu Sa'id Khalid bin Sa'id al-Umawi

1 7. Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb al-Umawi

18. Abu Sulayman Khalid bin al-Walid al-Makhzumi

1 9. Abfl Tharr Jundub bin Junadah al-Ghifari

20. Abfl 'Ubaydah 'Amir bin 'Abdillah bin al-Jarrah

21. Abu al-Walid 'Ubadah bin as-Samit as-Salimi al-Ansari

578

Appendices

22. Asma bint 'Umays

2 3 . Al-FajU bin al- 'Abbas al-Hashimi

24 JMrar bin al-Azwar al-Kindi

25. Hind bint 'Uqbah al-'Abshamiyah

26. 'Ikramah bin Abi Jahl 'Amr bin Hisham al-Makhzumi

27. Sa'id bin Khalid bin Sa'id al-Umawi

28. Umm 'Abdillah 'Aishah bint Abi Bakr at-Taymiyah

29. Umm 'Abdillah Asma bint Abi Bakr at-Taymiyah

30. Wathilah bin al-Asqa' al-Laythi

We note that although the Banu Umayyah clan had some sinful members, nos.
1,7,15,16,17 were also from this family.

Appendix C: Syntax of names

The vowels of a certain word may change according to the rules of 'Arabic grammar.
Example: 'Abdullah and Abu 'Abdillah.

579

Futuhushdm

Appendix D: Transliteration

^ b u- s

° t J- sh

o th u* s

£ J ^ ■ d

h J- t

C kh * zh

^ d t »

3 th t gh

j r ^ f

Appendix £: Yazid 4b and Caesarea

There appears to be some contradiction with regards to 'Yazid £> and 'Amr 4> at the
siege of Caesarea about which the Urdu translator wrote a lengthy commentary.

Firstly, who besieged Caesarea? Yazid & first arrives (chapter 4, section 17). 'Amr
4= then arrives (5:43) but the author only mentions in the end (5:56) that when 'Amr
4> arrived at Caesarea Yazid 4> left for Tyre. There is therefore no contradiction.

Secondly, 'Amr 4- mentions (5:44) that Yazid 4> received reinforcements at Qinsarin
when it is clearly mentioned that the reinforcements came when he was at Caesarea
(4:17). The humble opinion of this translator is that Qinsarin and Caesarea look
almost the same when written in the old undotted 'Arabic and as often the case the
letter alif is omitted. 'Amr 4, in fact mentioned Caesarea but an error occurred in the
transcription - and Allah & knows best. In the translation Qinsarin has been replaced
with Caesarea.

580

Appendices

Glossary

Allah: The one and only deity.
Allahu Akbar: Allah is the greatest.

Al-Masjid al-Aqsa: The sacred Masjid Baytul Muqaddas.

Al-Masjid al-Haram: The sacred Masjid in Makkah.

Angari (pi. Ansar): Literally "helper". A Sahab! &> of al-Madlnah. The Ansar <&>
earned this title because the help they rendered to Rasulullah S and the Muhajirin.

A&an: The formal call to Salah given a while before the Salah so that the
worshippers may gather. The Iqdmah is given immediately prior to the Salah.

Baytul Muqaddas: Jerusalem.

Bilai: The first muaththin in Islam. Called 'ibn Ribah' after his father and also 'ibn
Hamamah' after his mother.

Caesar: Title of the Roman emperors.

Constantinople: Capital of the Byzantine (Roman) Empire. Modern Istanbul,
Turkey.

Din (pi. adyan): Usually translated as religion but religion does not fully describe
Islam which covers every aspect of a Muslim's existence.

Dinar (pi. Dananir): Gold coin worth 10 silver coins. From Latin, "denarii. "

Dirham (pl.Darahim): Silver coin. From Greek, "drachma. "

Du'a (pi. ad'iya): supplication to Allah £1.

Farsakh: 5.4864 km

Firdaws: The highest level of Paradise.

Hadramawt: Homeland of the Kindah tribe in South Yaman. The terms Kindah,
Kind!, Kunud, Hadramawt, Hadrami, Hadarimah are thus used interchangeably.

Qalansuwah: Brimless Arab headgear.

581

Futuhushdm

Hijrab: Migration of the Muslims from Makkah to save their faith. There were two
hijrahs to Ethiopia and the third with the participation of RasulullahS was to al-
Madinah.

Hijri: The Islamic calendar is dated Hijri i.e. from the year of the Hijrah to al-
Madinah.

Ibrahim: The Prophet Abraham 8SSI.

Iqamah: see Athdn.

'Isa: The Prophet Jesus $23,.

'Igfl: Esau, brother of the Prophet Ya'qub (Jacob) 3SU

Islam: The final Din of Allah & brought by the final Prophet, Muhammad 0.

Jahannam: Hell.

Janazab: see Saldh.

Jannah (pi. Jannat): Paradise.

Jibrail: The archangel Gabriel 9&.

Jihad: Any struggle in obedience to Allah j£. It may take one of these forms
amongst others:

1) Jihad bil-Lisdn: -with the tongue, e.g. speaking against evil.

2) Jihdd bil-Qalam: -with the pen, e.g. using literature to spread the message.

3) Jihdd bis-Sayf. -with the sword. This is the primary usage of the word, Jihad,
in this book.

4) Jihdd 'alan-Nafs: -against the base human desires.

Jizyah: Poll-tax payable by non-Muslims living under Islamic rule. In return their
lives, property and religion is respected and they are exempted from military service.

Ka'bah: The cubic building in al-Masjid al-Haram. It is the Qiblah of the Muslims.

Khafifah (pi. khulafa): Literally "successor." The successors to Rasulullah @> in his
duties as head of the Muslims in all affairs except that they were not prophets .

582

Khutbah (pL khntnbat): Lecture, especially used to refer to tfc

Salatul Jumu'ah.

La ilaha illallili: There is no deity but Allah Jg.

Mihrab (pi. maharib): Prayer-niche in front of masjid indicating the Qibiah.

Mimbar (pi. Manabir): Pulpit.

Tawheed: Monotheism - Belief in the One-ness of Allah 3i

Mua thth in: One who proclaims the Athdn.

Muhajir (pi. Mahajirin): Those Sahabah 4> who performed the Hijrah.

Muhajirah (pi. Muhajirat): Those female Sahabiyaat & who performed the Hijrah.

Mujahid: One who engages in Jihad.

Muslim (lit. one who submits): One who submits to Allah 3& in accepting His Din
of Islam.

Nuh: The Prophet Noah SSI.

Patrician: Roman upper class.

Qibiah: Direction which Muslims must face during Salah.

Roman Empire: The empire which concerns us is not the ancient Roman Empire,
but the eastern half after the partition. It was variously called the latter Roman
Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire, the Greek Empire (because they spoke Greek)
or the Byzantine Empire. The translator chose the word Roman because they
themselves thought of themselves as "Romans" and this is the word used in the
'Arabic texts.

Rasfll (pi. Rusul): Messenger sent by Allah for the guidance of Mankind.

Rasfllullah: The Messenger of Allah. In this book it refers to the final Messenger,
Muhammad bin 'Abdillah S.

Sahabi (pi. Sahabah / Asjiab): A Muslim who met Rasulullah S.

Sahabiyah (pi. Sahabiyat): A female Sahabi.

Salah: Formal prayer of the Muslims. Five are compulsory:

583

Futuhushdm

1) Maghrib: After sunset.

2) 'Ishd: Night.

3) Fajr: Between dawn and sunrise.

4) Zhur: Early afternoon.

5) 'Asr: Late afternoon.

On Fridays Zhur is substituted with Jumu 'ah.

Salatul Janazah. The prayer performed for the dead.

Salatul Khawf (lit. prayer of fear): Method of congregational Salah in the battlefield
whereby the Muslims divide into two groups but still follow a single imam (one who
leads the Salah).

Sunnah (pi. sunan): Acts established from Rasulullah W>.

Taybah: Another name for al-Madinah.

Uqiyah: 122.472 g

Ummah (pi. umam): Literally commuruty. Ummah ad-Da 'wah are all those who
live after Rasulullah S had received his prophethood whether they are Muslims or
not. Ummah al-Ijdbah are those who accept his message i.e. Muslims. In this book
as in most Islamic literature it is the latter that is meant.

Wasaq: 192.7 kg.

Wujlfi: Compulsory washing of the body before Salah.

Yathrib: Pre-Islamic name of al-Madinah.

Zakah: Annual charity compulsory on Muslims owning a certain amount of wealth.

584

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Books

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "The Islamic Conquest of Syria"

See other formats